xxxviii 
LIFE OF WILSON. 
writing the " Foresters," a poem descriptive of our journey. I have brought 
it up only to my shooting expedition at the head of the Seneca Lake; and it 
amounts ah-eady to twelve hundred lines. I hope that when you and I meet, 
it will aiford you more pleasure than any of my productions has ever done. 
The two nondescript birds* which I killed on the Mohawk, attracted the notice 
of several naturalists about Philadelphia. On the 4th of IMarch I set to work 
upon a large sheet of fine drawing-paper, and in ten days I finished two faith- 
ful drawings of them, far superior to any that I had done before. In the 
back ground I represented a view of the Falls of Niagara, with the woods 
wrought in as finely as I possibly could do. Mr. Lawson was highly pleased 
with it, and Mr. Bartram was even more so. I then wrote a letter to that best 
of nirii, Mr. Jefferson, which Mr. Bartram enclosed in one of his (both of 
whicli, at least copies of them, I shall show you when we meet), and sent 
the whole, carefully rolled up, by the mail, on the 20th inst., to Monticello, in 
Virginia. The jay I presented to Mr. Peale, at his I'equest, and it is now iu 
the Museum. I have done but few other drawings, being so intent on the 
poem. I hope if you find any curious birds, you will attempt to preserve 
them, or at least their skins; if a small bird be carefully skinned, it can easily 
be set up at any time. I still intend to complete my collection of drawings; 
but the last will be by f;ir the best. * * * * 
" The poor of Philadelphia have suffered extremely this winter, the river 
having been frozen up for more than two months, yet the ice went away with- 
out doing any damage. I must again request that you and Alexander would 
collect the skins of as many birds as you have not seeu here. * * * * 
The process of skinning the birds may amuse you ; and your collection will be 
exceedingly agreeable to me. In the mean time never lose sight of getting 
rid of the troublesome farm, if it can be done with advantage ; so that we 
may once more be together; and write to me frequently. 
" I have now nothing more to say, but to give my afi'ectionate compliments 
to your mother and all the family, and to wish you every comfort that the state 
of society you are in can afibrd. With the great volume of nature before 
you, you can never, while in health, be without amusement. Keep a diary of 
every thing you meet with that is curious. Look out, now and then, for 
natural curiosities as you traverse your farm ; and remember me as you wander 
through your woody solitudes. 
From Mr. Jefferson. 
"Monticello, April 7th, 1805. 
" Sir, 
" I received here yesterday your f;vvor of March 18th, with the elegant 
drawings of the new birds you found on your tour to Niagara, for which I pray 
you to accept my thanks. The jay is quite unknown to me. From my 
observations while in Europe, on the birds and quadrupeds of that quarter, I 
am i^^if opinion there is not in our continent a single bird or quadruped which 
* One of these birds was the Canada Jay (Am. Orn. vol. 3, p. 33, ed. 1st) which was 
known to naturalists. 
