Nebraska advertiser., 1858-11-11
Miscellaneous.
John James Audubon.

There never was man who took so
much interest in the race of birds as John
James Audubon, whose death took place
on the 9th of JahuIry, 1851. On ac-
count of what he has accomplished in
making the acquaintance with the birds
of this country, and the description he has
given Of them, he has rendered himself
famous all over the civilized world. 3
Audubon was born il Louisiana about
the year 1882. In his sixteenth wear,
Audubon was sent to France, to pursue
his education. He returned in about two
years, full of love for the homes of the
birds. 1t was not long before he COM
menced'a collection of drawings, which
have since swelled into series of splen-
did volumes, called the "Birds of Amerl-
Ca" A greater and more valuable work
was probably never contributed to science
by the labors of a single individual than
this. The designs were begun in the
State of Pennsylvania, on a farm given
him by his father, situated near the city
of Philadelphia. There, amid large
tracts Of woodland, he pursued his ram
bles from the first faint streaks of day
until late in the evening, when, wet with
dew, and loaded with specimens of native
birds, he returned to his quiet home. 1t
was in this place too, that he was married
to woman, who, it would appear, was
every way worthy of him, and a fit part
ner of a man of his tastes.
He went into mercantile business for
the purpose of obtaining means to enable
him to go on with his researches. But
he was unfortunate, and failed. Perhaps
his love for birds and flowers untitled him
in measure for other business. Scarce
ly any one,. save his wife and children,
encouraged him to go on. 1t was impos-
sible, however, to divert his mind from
the birds. He undertook long and tedious
journeys. He ransaclzed the woods, the
lakes, the prairies, and the shores of the
Atlantic. He spent years away from his
family. 'Yet VIII you believe ii" says
he, Il had no object in view than simply
to become acquainted, for my own sake,
with nature. Never, for a moment, did
! conceive the idea of becoming useful to
my fellow-men, until | accidentally form
ed an acquaintance with Charles Lucien
Bonaparte, at Philadelphia, on the 9Th of
April, 1924"
1t was soon afterward that Bonaparte,
having examined Audubon's large collec-
tion of beautiful drawings, said to him,
"Do you know that you are great man?"
In reply, Audubon asked him what he
meant "Sir." said Bonaparte, 81 con-
sider you the greatest ornithologist in
the world" He then suggeste to him
the importance of collecting and offering
| to the public the treasures which he had
amassed in his wild rambles. The idea
seemed like beam of new light to Au-
dubon'S mind, and gave him a new i'm
pulse in the prosecution of his favorite
study. @ ..1
Two years after his first interview with
Lucien Bonaparte, he sailed for England.
This was in the year 1926. When he
arrived in Liverpool, there was not a
solitary individual that he knew, or to
whom he had letter of introduction
However, it was not long before he found
friends. His works were received with
great favor. They astonished everybody.
Men of genius sought his acquaintance ;
learned societies extended to him the hand
of fellowship; the houses of the nobility
were opened to him. A few years be-
fore he had been rejected when he ap-
piled to become member Of the Lyce-
um of Natural History, in Philadelphia.
Now he received the homage of the mos!
distinguished men of science In the old
world. G
Before the close of 1880, his first vol
ume of the birds of America" was Is
sued. 1t was received with enthusiasm.
ROYAL names headed the subscription list.
1t was no wonder that our English neigh
bors were in such raptures when they
saw the pictures of our birds. Some of
the birds, and birds of great beauty, they
had never seen and scarcely heard of be-
FORE The whole race of humming birds
was, in a great measure, unknown, even
in the scientific world, until. Audubon
brought them into notice.
Soon after the publication of his first
volume, Audubon returned to America
to explore anew the woods of the middle
and Southern States. Some two years
after that, he bent his steps northward.
and explored the forests of Maine, New
Brunswick, the shores of the Bay of Fun
dy, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and
the coast of Labrador.
Again, after having made large ad-
dition to his stock of drawings, he crossed
the ocean, and, in 1894, the. second vol
ume of his works was published. The
three following years were spent IN ex-
ploring Florida aud Texas. A vessel was
placed at his disposal by the Government
of the United States, to aid him in this
enterprise. Atthe close of this period,
be published the fourth and last volume
of plates, and the fifth volume of descrip-
tions. This whole work comprises -four
hundred and thirty-fve plates, containing
more than one thousand figures,
In 1899, he returned for the last time
to his native country, and established
himself, with his family, at his beautiful
residence on the banks, of the Hudson
Here he commenced the, republication Of
his birds of America, in several large
octave volumes, which were completed In
/ 1914.
s flor. tb,S bo conrnopood ono.bov coz,