220 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



He was married in April, 1808. Later he entered into 

 partnership with his brother-in-law under the firm-name of 

 Audubon & Co., and after passing through many experiences 

 and vicissitudes, on the 26th of April, 1826, he sailed from New 

 Orleans to Liverpool, and reached his destination on the 20th of 

 July. In Edinburgh he met Mr. Lizars, who offered to bring 

 out the first part of the * Birds of North America,' and on the 

 28th of November he was presented with proof of the first plate. 

 He now issued his prospectus of the * Birds of North America.' 

 There being no text to his book, he began to prepare an 

 ornithological biography, in which he was assisted by Mr. Wm. 

 McGillivray. In three months the first part was finished and 

 offered to some publishers, none of whom would give a shilling 

 for it, and he issued it himself. In the autumn of 1839, the 

 * Birds of North America,' the most magnificent ornithological 

 work the world has ever seen, with the ornithological biography, 

 being finished, he came back to America. 



In the spring of 1843 he started on his last expedition to 

 visit the Yellowstone River to procure materials for his work, 

 the ' Quadrupeds of North America.' Two years afterwards 

 appeared the first volume of this great work. The other two 

 were prepared mostly by his sons Victor and John, the last one 

 appearing in the year Audubon died. In this hasty sketch of 

 the naturalist's life I have touched upon some of the most 

 important and interesting incidents of his career, exhibiting in 

 various lights the impulsive, peculiar disposition of the man, 

 which urged him often to enter upon impracticable and unwise 

 undertakings, and yet never perverted him from the steadfast 

 pursuit of his material. He was born to accomplish a certain 

 task, and no matter what the condition of his life may have 

 been, nothing could divert his mind from the subject in which 

 his heart was wrapped, nor could any privation discourage him 

 from following the study of his beloved birds. He was a woods- 

 man, not a scientific naturalist, according to the idea prevalent 

 to-day. As an artist and pupil of David we must judge him, and 

 the master's influence is frequently seen in his plates. 



As a naturalist, we must not judge Audubon by the standard 

 of to-day, any more than we ourselves shall be measured by 

 that employed by naturalists half a century hence. He was 

 an ornithological artist, not a scientific naturalist, and no one 





