RUDE REPRESENTATIONS OF NATURE. 43 eyes, elther open at birth or closed for some time after, to trace the slow progress of the young birds toward perfection, or admire the celerity with which some of them, while yet unfledged, removed themselves from danger to security.” As he grew up these predilections became yet stronger, and he early commenced a, collection of drawings, which at first were but the rude attempts of an unpractised hand. He thus amusingly char- acterises them: ‘‘ My pencil gave birth to a family of cripples. So maimed were most of them, that they resembled the mangled corpses on a field of battle compared with the integrity of living men. These difficulties and disappointments irritated me, but never for a moment destroyed the desire of ob- taining perfect representations of nature. The worse my drawings were, the more beautiful did I see the originals. To have been torn from the study would have been as death to me. My time was entirely occupied with it. I produced hundreds of these rude sketches annually, and for a long time, at my request, they made bonfires on the anniver- saries of my birthday.” Anxious to cultivate a talent which had so strik- ingly evinced itself, the friends of young Audubon procured him the best instruction, and he was early sent to France, where, under the guidance of the celebrated David, he became a skilful draughtsman.