xxxviii LIFE OF WILSON. 



writing the " Foresters" a poem descriptive of our journey. I have brought 

 it up only to my shooting expedition at the head of the Seneca Lake; and it 

 amounts already to twelve hundred lines. I hope that when you and I meet, 

 it will afford you more pleasure than any of my productions has ever done. 

 The two nondescript birds* which I killed on the Mohawk, attracted the notice 

 of several naturalists about Philadelphia. On the 4th of March I set to work 

 upon a large sheet of fine drawing-paper, and in ten days I finished two faith- 

 ful drawings of them, far superior to any that I had done before. In the 

 back ground I represented a view of the Falls of Niagara, with the woods 

 wrought in as finely as I possibly could do. Mr. Lawson was highly pleased 

 with it, and Mr. Bartram was even more so. I then wrote a letter to that best 

 of men, Mr. Jefferson, which Mr. Bartram enclosed in one of his (both of 

 which, at least copies of them, I shall show you when we meet), and sent off 

 the whole, carefully rolled up, by the mail, on the 20th inst., to Monticello, in 

 Virginia. The jay I presented to Mr. Peale, at his request, and it is now in 

 the Museum. I have done but few other drawings, being so intent on the 

 poem. I hope if you find any curious birds, you will attempt to preserve 

 them, or at least their skins ; if a small bird be carefully skinned, it can easily 

 be set up at any time. I still intend to complete my collection of drawings ; 

 but the last will be by far the best. * * * * 



" The poor of Philadelphia have suffered extremely this winter, the river 

 having been frozen up for more than two months, yet the ice went away with- 

 out doing any damage. I must again request that you and Alexander would 

 collect the skins of as many birds as you have not seen here. * * * * 

 The process of skinning the birds may amuse you ; and your collection will be 

 exceedingly agreeable to me. In the mean time never lose sight of getting 

 rid of the troublesome farm, if it can be done with advantage; so that we 

 may once more be together; and write to me frequently. 



" I have now nothing more to say, but to give my affectionate compliments 

 to your mother and all the family, and to wish you every comfort that the state 

 of society you are in can afford. With the great volume of nature before 

 you, you can never, while in health, be without amusement. Keep a diary of 

 every thing you meet with that is curious. Look out, now and then, for 

 natural curiosities as you traverse your farm ; and remember me as you wander 

 through your woody solitudes. 



From Mr. Jefferson. 



"Monticello, April 7th, 1805. 

 "Sir, 



" I received here yesterday your favor of March 18th, with the elegant 

 drawings of the new birds you found on your tour to Niagara, for which I pray 

 you to accept my thanks. The jay is quite unknown to me. From my 

 observations while in Europe, on the birds and quadrupeds of that quarter, I 

 am of opinion there is not in our continent a single bird or quadruped which 



* One of these birds was the Canada Jay (Am. Orn. vol. 3, p» 33, ed. 1st) which was 

 known to naturalists. 



