Audubon

A littlo incident related in the "Life of Audubon," the celebrated naturalist, forciblyillustrates tho patiënt, persistent, painstaking raanner in which men of Scienoe, as well as men of Letters proaecute their investigations. It was whüe Audubon was hunting in the forests of Louisiaña that he discovered a tiny little wood-bird hitheito unkuown to the ornithologist. It was not so big as a wren, and was ciad in a coat of suoh plain, sober gray, that none but practiced eyes would detect itflittingin and out among the similar colored branches of tbe peculiar species of trees it inhabited. But, howevor humble the bird might bc, to Audubon it was one of tho charining and curious race of beings that interested him above all other living things, and to ascertain its history and habits was a matter of as much importance as thongh it were chief of the tribe. He, therefore, bent every energy of his intense and eager nature the study of it. One night he carne home with the exciting news that he had fouud a pair which wore evidently preparing to build a nest. Nextmorning he was up and off to the woods by daybreak, taking along with him a telescopio microscope. Erecting this under the tree that sheltered the almost invisible little creatures he was anxious to observe, he made himself a pillow of moss, and then laid quietly down on the ground, with his eye to the instrument, and remained thioughout the live-, long hours until uightfall, watching the movements of the secret and unsuspecting arohitects. This course he repeated day after day, for three weeks, witljout respito or internuission, and then he was able to teil, with minuto and accurate detail, just what material these builders in the heart of the wild woed chose for their dwellings, just how they. put it together, and the numbur of days required to complete the process of incubation. In short, by this noiseless, solitary, tireless vigilance, ho had gathered up all the various chapters in the history of this nameless forest-inhabitant, and bound them together in a complete and unique volume. It was thus that Audubon made himself acquainted with the peculiar and characteristic traits of the birds of America, and came to know them as he knew the faces of his wife and children, and could draw each one of them in the most natural and life-like attitude, with every spot of color and adjustment of feather exactly as it should be, and always with the accompaniment of some spray of plant or branch of tree, that, growing near its f'avorite haunts, was especial ly identified with rt.