46 A DISHEARTENING OCCURRENCE.

to Europe; but, before his preparations were com-
pleted, an unparalleled misfortune threatened to
destroy all his prospects and blight his hopes. The
occurrence is thus related by him: “ An accident
which happened to 200 of my original drawings
nearly put a stop to my researches in ornithology.
I shall relate it merely to show how far enthusiasm
—for by no other name can I call the persevering
zeal with which I laboured—may enable the ob-
server of nature to surmount the most dishearten-
ing obstacles. I left the village of Henderson,
in Kentucky, situated on the bank of the Ohio,
where I resided for several years, to proceed to
Philadelphia on business. I looked to all my
drawings before my departure, placed them care-
fully in a wooden box, and gave them in charge to
a relative, with injunctions to see that no injury
should happen to them. My absence was of several
months; and when I returned, after having enjoyed
the pleasures of home for a few days, I inquired
after my box, and what I was pleased to call my
treasure. ‘The box was produced and opened; but
—readers, feel for me—a pair of Norway rats had
taken possession of the whole, and had reared a
young family amongst the gnawed pieces of paper.
which, but a few months before, represented nearly
a thousand inhabitants of the air! The burning
heat which instantly rushed through my brain was