104 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



First, as to boarding with us, you do not know probably, 

 that this is never done in England, except as a matter of 

 necessity or profession, in which case the domestic establish- 

 ment is framed accordingly. But this consideration would 

 have no influence with me, in your case did other circumstances 

 allow of it. It would however be attended with so many 

 changes in our every-day domestic arrangements, that it be- 

 comes impossible. 



Secondly, as to the proposition I once made to you, I am 

 fearful you have put it out of my power to do so much as I 

 might have done, from your having distributed the very birds 

 which would have been the materials I was to work upon ; and 

 upon which only, any scientific observations truly original, 

 (& -therefore worth putting into your book), must be founded. 

 Fortunately, however, my own collection is not poor in North 

 American Specimens, and these would still furnish a mass of 

 interesting information to the Scientific. It would be, how- 

 ever, highly advisable that all these species which I have not, 

 but which you have brought home, and given away, should be 

 borrowed back again, without delay. 



Next as to plan. I have always told you that the plan you 

 mention, so far as your own narrative goes, is the very best 

 which could possibly be chosen. You have to speak of the 

 birds as they are alive, I to speak of their outward form, struc- 

 ture, and their place in the great System of their Creator, for 

 the true system, if I have, or anybody else, has discovered is 

 not a Human System. If my views are correct, every observa- 

 tion you make, plain, unvarnished, and strictly accurate, will 

 fully and perfectly harmonize. Our parts are totally distinct, 

 and we have no occasion to consult with each other what we 

 should say at every page. Where our views may differ, I shall 

 not, of course, say anything. My own remarks had better be 

 kept distinct, in the form of "Scientific Notes" to each letter, 

 at the end, and in this way you will make the work, the stand- 

 ard authority on American Ornithology, which without Science, 

 it certainly would not be, however interesting or valuable in 

 other respects. 



