108 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 
the ‘‘ Birds of America.’’ ‘Sir,’ he said, 
‘I never sign my name to any subscrip- 
tion list, but you may send in your work 
and I will pay for a copy of it. Gentle- 
men, Iam busy. I wish you good morn- 
ing.’ We were busy men, too, and so 
bowing respectfully, we retired, pretty 
well satisfied with the small slice of his 
opulence which our labour was likely to 
obtain. 
“A few days afterwards I sent the 
first volume of my work half bound, and 
all the numbers besides, then published. 
On seeing them we were told that he 
ordered the bearer to take them to his 
house, which was done directly. Num- 
ber after number was sent and delivered 
to the Baron, and after eight or ten 
months my son made out his account and 
sent it by Mr. Havell, my engraver, to 
his banking-house. The Baron looked 
at it with amazement, and cried out, 
‘What, a hundred pounds for birds! 
Why, sir, I will give you five pounds 
