272 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



but what is better than such a specimen from the Blackfoot 

 country — 1st. The Skunk ; 2nd, Hares, in Winter colors ; and 

 3rd, the Rabbit that you chased. In your Journal your de- 

 scriptions of Buffalo hunts are first rate. I don't like my 

 article on the "Beaver" ; I shall have to write it over again. 

 If I could only borrow TemTninck's large work. Every library 

 here is open to me, and you would be astonished to see the num- 

 ber of books in my own library ; but the scientific works of close 

 comparison are not among them. I had written letter after 

 letter, but might have saved ten dollars postage. 



Audubon wrote to Baird on February 2, 1846, to 

 remind him of the Catamount, which was thought not 

 to be "the Cougar," and of the Black Fox: "for the 

 latter," he said, "I do give you my word that I would 

 willingly pay you Twenty Dollars by a draft upon us 

 at Sight." In another letter from "Minnie's Land, N. 

 Y.," of March 14, he said:^" 



Could you procure a black and a Silver Fox for us, we will 

 be willing to give a good price for either in the flesh, and pre- 

 served in common New England Rum, and forwarded by ex- 

 press to 78 John St, N.Y. 



We expect to see John at home in about Six or Seven 

 weeks. He has made a very poor Journey of this one, and will 

 have to go to Europe this summer, I have no doubt. 



Concerning his son's journey to Texas, Audubon 

 had written Spencer Baird, September 30, 1845: " 



My son John will leave this for the West and South- West, 

 as far as the confines of Texas, about the last of next month, 

 and intends being absent until the first of March. Would you 

 like to go with him provided you can pay your own expenses? 



"See William H. Dall, op. cit., pp. 130-2. 

 "Ibid., p. 126. 



