146 LIFE OF AUDUBON. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



Paris — CtrviER — Eebonte, the Flowek-Paintbk — Cuvibe's Report on 

 THE Drawings — Great Gathering at the Institute — The Ebpobt 

 QUOTED — The Duke op Orleans — Gerard — Birds in Paris and 

 Whispers prom the Woods— Farewell to France. 



" Paeker was introduced while Cuvier was looking at a small 

 lizard, through a vial of spirits that contained it. I see now 

 his speaking eye, half closed, as if quizzing its qualities, and 

 as he wrote its name with a pencil on a label, he bowed his 

 body in acquiescence. ' Come and breakfast with me, Mr. Parker, 

 on Thursday next, at ten o'clock, and I will be your man ;' and 

 on he went quizzing more lizards. 



" Sejptember 18. Went with Parker to Baron Cuvier's. We 

 met Miss Cuvier, who had made all preparations to receive us. 

 The Baron came in and seated himself in a comfortable arm- 

 chair. Great men, as well as great women, have their share of 

 vanity, and I soon discovered that the Baron thinks himself a 

 fine-looking man. His daughter seemed to understand this, 

 and remarked, more than once, that her father had his under 

 lip much more swelled than usual ; and she added that the 

 line of his nose was extremely fine. I passed my fingers over 

 mine, and, lo ! I thought just the same. I see the Baron now 

 quite as plainly as I did this morning, an old green surtout 

 about him, a neckcloth, that would have wrapped his whole 

 body if unfolded, loosely tied about his chin, and his silver locks 

 looking like those of a man who loves to study books better 

 than to visit barbers. His fine eye glistened from under his thick 



