AUDUBON—THE HUNTER-NATURALIST. 103 
exaggerations can afford subject of criticism only to persons 
unacquainted with the feathered tribes; for, believe me, no- 
thing can be more transient or varied than the attitudes or 
positions of birds. The Heron, when warming itself in the 
sun, will sometimes drop its wings several inches, as if they 
were dislocated; the Swan may often be seen floating with 
one foot extended from the body; and some pigeons, you 
well know, turn quite over, when playing in the air. The 
flowers, plants, or portions of trees which are attached to the 
principal objects, have been chosen from amongst those in the 
vicinity of which the birds were found, and are not, as some 
persons have thought, the trees or plants upon which they 
always feed or perch. 
An accident which happened to two hundred of my original 
drawings, nearly put a stop to my researches in ornithology. 
I shall relate it, merely to show you how far enthusiasm—for 
by no other name can I call the persevering zeal with which 
I labored—may enable the observer of nature to surmount 
the most disheartening obstacles. I left the village of Hen- 
derson, in Kentucky, situated on the bank of the Ohio, where 
I resided for several years, to proceed to Philadelphia on 
business. I looked to all my drawings before my departure, 
placed them carefully in a wooden box, and gave them in 
charge to a relative, with injunctions to see that no injury 
should happen to them. My absence was of several months ; 
and when I returned, after having enjoyed the pleasures of 
home for a few days, I inquired after my box, and what I 
was pleased to call my treasure. The box was produced, and 
opened ;—but, reader, feel for me—a pair of Norway rats 
had taken possession of the whole, and had reared a young 
family amongst the gnawed bits of paper, which, but a few 
months before, represented nearly a thousand inhabitants of 
the air ! 
The burning heat which instantly rushed through my brain 
was too great to be endured, without affecting the whole of 
