32 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 



the Columbia was going too fiist to stop for the 

 purpose of picking them up. My young man 

 is now closely engaged in skinning, and killed 

 a bagfuU of Warblers yesterday. — Vive lajoie f 

 no taxes on shooting or fishing.' 



" After the high eulogium you paid Audubon, 

 it leaves me but little to add. I may, however, 

 mention a few words in reference to the 

 excerpts, as otherwise they may be misunder- 

 stood. 



" Where he says to Mr Kidd, ^ I hope you 

 are going on well with your work,' this is 

 in regard to copying his drawings of birds. 

 About a year ago Audubon conceived the 

 grand idea of instituting a Natural History 

 Gallery of Paintings, and entered into an 

 agreement with Mr Kidd to copy all his draw- 

 ings of the same size, and in oil, leaving to 

 the taste of that excellent artist to add suck 

 back-grounds as might give them a more 

 pictorial effect. In the execution of such of 

 those as Mr Kidd has finished, he has not only 

 preserved all the vivacious character of tlie 

 originals, but he has greatly heightened their 

 beauty, by the general tone and appropriate 

 feeling which he has preserved and carried 

 throughout liis pictures. To those who know 

 the difficulty of maintaining harmony with pro- 

 perly subdued colouring, in connection with 



