JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 23 
with stuffed squirrels, raccoons and opos- 
sums ; and the shelves around were like- 
wise crowded with specimens, among 
which were fishes, frogs, snakes, lizards, 
and other reptiles. Besides these stuffed 
varieties, many paintings were arrayed 
upon the walls, chiefly of birds. He had 
great skill in stuffing and preserving 
animals of all sorts. He had also a trick 
of training dogs with great perfection, 
of which art his famous dog Zephyr was 
a wonderful example. He was an ad- 
mirable marksman, an expert swimmer, 
a clever rider, possessed great activity, 
prodigious strength, and was notable for 
the elegance of his figure, and the beauty 
of his features, and he aided Nature by 
a careful attendance to his dress. Besides 
other accomplishments, he was musical, 
a good fencer, danced well, had some 
acquaintance with legerdemain tricks, 
worked in hair, and could plait willow 
baskets.’?’ He adds that Audubon once 
swam across the Schuylkill with him 
on his back. 
