xl 
LIFE OF AVILSON. 
To Mr. Wm. Duncan, 
" Gray's Ferry, May 8th, 1805. 
" I am glad to understand that the phmtation is increasing so fast in value, 
but more so that it is not either sold or otherwise disposed of at the low rate 
at which we would have once thrown it away; yet it is the perpetual cause of 
separating us, which I am very sorry for. I am living a mere hermit, not 
spending one farthing, to see if I possibly can reimburse who I can see 
is not so courteous and affable as formerly. I hope to be able to pay him one 
hundred dollars, with interest, next October, and the remainder in the spring, 
we shall then be clear of the world ; and I don't care how many privations I 
suffer to effect that. I associate with nobody; spend my leisure hours in 
drawing, wandering through the woods, or playing upon the violin. 
" I informed you in my last of sending Mr. Jefferson drawings of the Falls, 
and some birds, which I found on the Mohawk, and which it seems have never 
been taken notice of by any naturali.st. He returned me a very kind and 
agreeable letter, from Montieello, expressing many obligations for the drawings, 
which he was highly pleased with ; and describing to me a bird, which he is 
very desirous of possessing, having interested the young sportsmen of his 
neighborhood, he says, these twenty years, to shoot him one, without success. 
It is of the size and make of the mocking-bird, lightly thrush-colored on the 
back, and grayish-white on the breast; is never heard but from the tops of 
the tallest trees, whence it continually serenades us with some of the sweetest 
notes, and as clear as those of the nightingale. Mr. Bartrani can give no ac- 
count of this bird, except it be the wood robin, which I don't think it is; for 
Mr. Jefferson says, ' it is scarcdij nmr to he seen ;' and ' I have followed it for 
miles without ever, but once, getting a good view of it.'* 1 have been on the 
look-out ever since, but in vain. If you can hear of such a bird, let me know. 
I wish you also to look for the new bird which I discovered. It is of the 
size of the blue jay; and is of that genus — of a dull lead color on the back — 
the forehead white — black on the back of the neck — the breast and belly a 
dirty, or brownish white, with a white ring round its neck — its legs and bill 
exactly the jay's. Pray inquire respecting it, and any other new bird. If 
they could be conveyed to me, drawings of them, presented to the same dig- 
nified character, might open the road to a better acquaintance, and something 
better might follow. Alexander and you, will, I hope, be on the look-out with 
* After many inquiries, and an unwearied research, it turned out that this invisible mu- 
sician was no other than the Wood RoKIn, a bird which, if sought for, in those places 
which it affects, may be seen every hour of tlie day. Its favorite haunts Wilson has 
beautifully described in its history; but so far from being found always "on the tops 
of the tallest trees," it is seldom seen in such places, but seems to prefer the horizontal 
branches, at no great height, especially when piping its exquisitely melodious song. One 
of its names, the Ground Robin, is derived from the circumstance of its being frequently 
seen upon the ground. Its song consists of several distinct parts, at the conclusion of 
each of which it commonly flies a few feet and rests just long enough to continue the 
strain. A person unacquainted with these particulars, would suppose that he heard several 
birds, in various quarters, responding to each other, and would find it hard to believe 
that the whole was the performance of one. 
