-ALEXANDER WILSON. 29 
nent cheek bones, were unfavourably united te 
a stature not above the middle height. His 
dress, consisting of a short coat, trousers and 
waistcoat of gray cloth, was. one unfrequent ip 
that part of the country. His object in calling 
was to secure Audubon’s patronage and a fresh 
subscription for his work. Audubon, on the 
eve of assenting to his request, was arrested 
by an interrogation from a friend, with an ac- 
_panying suggestion—that his own drawings 
were far superior. Whether from vanity, 
which too willingly corroborated the assertion, 
or a conscientious conviction of its truth, Au 
dubon then declined to subscribe. 
The astonishment of Wilson, on examining 
the collection of Audubon was as great as had 
been his on recognizing a fellow labourer. Pur- 
suing the same objects and proposing the sama 
ends, they had remained in entire ignorance of 
each other’s inquiries and achievements; and 
like too many students toiling in solitude to la- 
borious discoveries, were surprised and disap- 
pointed to find them forestalled. 
Audubon strove to efface the annoyance, evi- 
dently caused through his dissent, by every 
friendly demonstration to Wilson, even offering 
to allow him to publish the results of his own 
researches, which he had not the intention of 
doing himself at that time, with the condition. 
8* 
