HE VISITS BOSTON. 321 



soras (cedar birds) for forty cents, that in New York would 

 have brought fifty cents. After breakfast went to the Academy 

 of Natural Sciences, met Dr. Pickering, and had a great treat in 

 looking over and handling the rare collection made by Nuttall 

 and Townsend in their excursion on and over the Eocky Moun- 

 tains. It belongs to the Academy, which assisted the travellers 

 with funds to prosecute their journey ; it contains about forty 

 new species of birds, and its value cannot be described." 



Audubon spent only a day or two in Philadelphia, saw 

 his old friends there, was present at one of the meetings of the 

 Academy, obtained a few new birds, and returned to New York. 

 Mr. Edward Harris, his old friend, called to see him ; and when 

 he was told of the new species of birds obtained by Townsend, 

 " offered to give me five hundred dollars towards purchasing 

 them. Is not this a noble generosity to show for the love of 

 science?" 



" Boston, September 20, 1836. I came here from New York, 

 via the steamer Massachusetts and the Providence Eailroad, 

 for seven dollars, which included supper and breakfast. There 

 were three hundred passengers, and among them several persons 

 known to me. A thick fog compelled the steamer to anchor at 

 midnight; in the morning our sail up the bay to Providence 

 was like a fairy dream. Nature looked so beautiful and grand, 

 and so congenial to my feelings, that I wanted nothing but thy 

 dear self here, Lucy, to complete my happiness. The locomotive 

 pulled us from Providence to Boston at the rate of fifteen miles 

 an hour ; we arrived at four p.m. ; a cart took my trunk, and 

 seating myseK by the side of the owner, we drove to the house 

 of my friend Dr. George C. Shattuck. The family soon 

 gathered for tea, and I was now happy, and after talking for a 

 while I retired to rest in the same room and bed where John 

 and I slept after our return from Labrador." 



Audubon spent several days in Boston visiting the public in- 

 stitutions and his friends, among whom he mentions Mr. Everett, 

 Dr. Bowditch, Dr. Gould, and Mr. David, " where I found Maria 



D , now Mrs. Motley, as handsome as ever, and her husband 



not far short of seven feet high," 



" September 20. Went to the market and bought a fine pigeon 

 hawk for two cents, which is now found in Massachusetts. 



¥ 



