Jxx 
LIFE OF WILSON. 
profuse perspiration, which, contrary to the maxims of the doc- 
tors, has done me a great deal of good; and I intend to repeat 
the dose; except that I shall leave out the ingredient of the wet 
feet, if otherwise convenient. Were I to prescribe such a re- 
medy to Lawson, he would be ready to think me mad. Mode- 
rate, nay even pretty severe exercise, is the best medicine in 
the world for sedentary people, and ought not to be neglected 
on any account.” 
TO MR. WM. BARTRAM. 
Philadelphia, Jipril 29, 1807. 
“ My dear sir, 
“ The receipt of yours of the 11th inst. in which you approve 
of my intended publication of American Ornithology, gave me 
much satisfaction; and your promise of befriending me in the 
arduous attempt commands my unfeigned gratitude. From the 
opportunities I have lately had, of examining into the works of 
Americans, who have treated of this part of our natural history, 
I am satisfied that none of them have bestowed such minute at- 
tention on the subject as you yourself have done. Indeed they 
have done little more than copied your nomenclature and ob- 
servations, and referred to your authority. T o have you, there- 
fore, to consult with in the course of this great publication I 
consider a most happy and even auspicious circumstance; and 
I hope you will, on all occasions, be a rigid censor, and kind 
monitor, whenever you find me deviating from the beauties of 
nature, or the truth of description. 
“ The more I read and reflect upon the subject, the more dis- 
satisfied I am with the specific names which have been used by 
almost every writer. A name should, if possible, be expressive 
of some peculiarity in colour, conformation, or habit; if it will 
equally apply to two different species, it is certainly an impro- 
per one. Is migratorius an epithet peculiarly applicable to the 
robin? Is it not equally so to almost every species of turdus 
we have? Europea has been applied by Pennant to our large 
sitta or nuthatch, which is certainly a different species from the 
