10 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XVIII 
in scientific matters. Audubon seemed to miss this element in the short pithy 
notes with which they supplied him, and to make up for it launched forth in 
a picturesque, if wholly imaginary, account of their trip in the opening of his 
fourth volume (1838) which is in strong contrast to Townsend’s own narrative 
which appeared in 1839, but it has no doubt fired many a youthful mind with 
a determination to visit the wonderful country which was pictured in such 
brilliant colors. He says: 
“How delightful, I have often exclaimed, must have been the feelings of 
those enthusiastic naturalists, my friends Nuttall and Townsend, while tra- 
versing the ridges of the Rocky Mountains ! How grand and impressive the 
scenery presented to their admiring gaze, when from an elevated station they 
saw the mountain torrent hurling its foaming waters over the black crags of 
the rugged ravine, while on wide-spread wings the Great Vulture sailed over- 
head watching the departure of the travellers, that he might feast on the sal- 
mon, which on striving to ascend the catarract had been thrown on the stony 
beach! Now the weary travellers are resting on the bank of a brawling 
brook, along which they are delighted to see the lively Dipper frisking wren- 
like from stone to stone. On the stunted bushes above them some curious Jays 
are chattering, and as my friends are looking upon the gay and restless birds, 
they are involuntarily led to extend their gaze to the green slope beneath the 
more distant crags, where they spy a mountain sheep, watching the movements 
of the travellers, as well as those of yon wolves stealing silently toward the 
fleet-footed animal. Again the pilgrims are in motion; they wind their path- 
less way round rocks and fissures; they have reached the greatest height of 
the sterile platform; and as they gaze on the valleys whose waters hasten to 
join the Pacific Ocean, and bid adieu, perhaps for the last time, to the dear 
friends they have left in the distant east, how intense must be their feelings, 
as thoughts of the past and future blend themselves in their anxious minds ! 
But now I see them brother-like, with lighter steps, descending towards the 
head waters of the famed Oregon. They have reached the great stream, and 
seating themselves in a canoe, shoot adown the current, gazing on the beautiful 
shrubs and tlowers that ornament the banks, and the majestic trees that cover 
the sides of the valley, all new to them, and presenting a wide field of discov- 
ery. The melodies of unknown songsters enliven their spirits, and glimpses of 
gaudily plumed birds excite their desire to search those beautiful thickets; 
but time is urgent, and onward they must speed. A deer crosses the stream, 
they pursue and capture it ; and it being now evening, they land and soon form 
a camp, carefully concealed from the prying eyes of the lurking savage. The 
night is past, the dawn smiles upon the refreshed travellers, who launch their 
frail bark ; and as they slowly float on the stream, both listen attentively to the 
notes of the Red-and-White-winged Troupial, and wonder how similar they are 
to those of the Red- winged Starling”. From these rhetorical heights we come 
to earth with an unpleasant jar as our eye catches a pencilled note in Town- 
send ’s hand on the margin of our Academy copy of Audubon. It says the name 
tricolor which Audubon gave to this blackbird should be credited to Nuttall, 
who communicated both specimen and name to Audubon, who appropriated the 
latter! Thus early did scientiiic jealousies develop and the never ceasing con- 
test for priority and credit ! ! 
John K. Townsend was evidently a genius whom force of circumstances 
prevented from reaching his proper place in ornithological annals. Had he 
had the financial backing that Edward Harris was ever ready to provide for 
