IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC 35 



seum, in Court Street, a superb specimen of the Golden 

 Eagle, which had been caught in the White Mountains 

 in a trap set for foxes. Possessed with a desire to depict 

 this noble bird, he worked so hard at the drawing that, 

 as he said, it nearly cost him his life; he was suddenly- 

 seized with "a spasmodic affection," which prostrated 

 him for a time and greatly alarmed his family, but 

 thanks to a strong constitution and to the aid of his 

 ^medical friends, Doctors Parkman, Warren and Shat- 

 tuck, the crisis was averted, and he was soon able to 

 continue his labors. "The drawing of this Eagle," said 

 the naturalist, "took me fourteen days, and I had never 

 before laboured so incessantly excepting at that of the 

 Wild Turkey." He was at work on this painting when 

 the following letter'^ was dispatched to his eldest son: 



Audubon to his Son, Victor 



BOSTOK. 



Feb. 5 th 1833. 

 My DEAE FEIENDS 



I am just now quite fatigued by the drawing of a Golden 

 Eagle which although it will make a splendid plate has cost me 

 sixty hours of the severest labor I have experienced since I 

 drew the Wild Turkey. You shall I hope see it through the 

 care of Mr. Gordon.^ Do not ever ship any more Nos. to 

 this port unless on vessels that are intended as packets. The 

 Charlotte has not come and it will be a rubber if I can get 

 enough cash to establish our going to Labrador until she does. 

 Push Jos. B. Kidd of Edinburgh if he can be pushed to paint 

 copies of- our drawings. I look on that series as of great 

 importance to us aU. Havell's blunder in not having the num- 



' Originally published by Ruthven Deane (Bibl. No. 48), The Auk, 

 vol. xxii, 1905. 



'Alexander Gordon, who married Ann Bakewell, youngest sister of 

 Mrs. Audubon. For notice of Jos. B. Kidd, mentioned below, see Vol. I, 

 p. 44.6. 



