JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 31 
siasm, exerted myself as much as was in 
my power to procure for him the speci- 
mens which he wanted. 
‘We hunted together and obtained 
birds which he had never before seen; 
but, reader, I did not subscribe to his 
work, for, even at that time, my collec- 
tion was greater than his. 
‘‘Thinking that perhaps he might be 
pleased to publish the results of my re- 
searches, I offered them to him, merely 
on condition that what I had drawn, or 
might afterward draw and send to him, 
should be mentioned in his work as com- 
ing from my pencil. I at the same time 
offered to open a correspondence with 
him, which I thought might prove bene- 
ficial to us both. He made no reply to 
either proposal, and before many days 
had elapsed, left Louisville on his way 
to New Orleans, little knowing how 
much his talents were appreciated in our 
little town, at least by myself and my 
friends.’’ 
