54 LIFE OF AUDUBON. 



would hardly perform needful ablutions, and refused a change 

 of clean clothing, suggested as being more comfortable. " His 

 attire," remarks Audubon, " struck me as exceedingly remark- 

 able. A long loose coat of yellow nankeen, much the worse for 

 the many rubs it had got in its time, and stained all over with 

 the juice of plants, hung loosely about him like a sack. A 

 waistcoat of the same, with enormous pockets, and buttoned up 

 to the chin, reached below over a pair of tight pantaloons, the 

 lower part of which were buttoned down to the ankles. His 

 beard was as long as I have known my own to be duriag some 

 of my peregrinations, and his lank black hair hung loosely over 

 his shoulders. His forehead was so broad and prominent that 

 any tyro in phrenology would instantly have pronounced it the 

 residence of a mind of strong powers. His words impressed an 

 assurance of rigid truth, and as he directed the conversation to 

 the study of the natural sciences, I listened to him with great 

 delight. He requested to see my drawings, anxious to see the 

 plants I had introduced besides the birds I had drawn. Finding 

 a strange plant among my drawings, he denied its authenticity ; 

 but on my assuring him that it grew in the neighbourhood, he 

 insisted on going off instantly to see it. 



" When I pointed it out the naturalist lost all command over 

 his feelings, and behaved like a maniac in expressing his delight. 

 He plucked the plants one after another, danced, hugged' me in 

 his arms, and exultingly told me he had got, not merely a new 

 species, but a new genus. 



" He immediately took notes of all the needful particulars of 

 the plant in a note-book, which he carried wrapt in a waterproof 

 covering. After a day's pursuit of natural history studies, the 

 stranger was accommodated with a bed in an attic room. We 

 had all retired to rest ; every person I imagined was in deep 

 slumber save myself, when of a sudden I heard a great uproar 

 in the naturalist's room. I got up, reached the place in a few 

 moments, and opened the door ; when, to my astonishment, I saw 

 my guest running naked, holding the handle of my favourite 

 violin, the body of which he had battered to pieces against the 

 walls in attempting to kill the bats which had entered by the 

 open window, probably attracted by the insects flying around 

 nis candle. I stood amazed, but he continued jumping and 



