9. Audubon, Naturalist

Every boy who loves out-of-door life should know the story of John James Audubon. He was born on a farm in Louisiana, May 4, 1780. His parents were French and when very young he was taken to France where he attended school. His favorite study was of animals and birds. He often roamed the woods, bringing home birds’ nests and eggs, curious rocks, and bits of moss. His father bought him a picture-book of birds. The delighted boy painted these copies, but saw they were not like real birds. Later he took lessons of the great French painter, David, who taught him to draw and paint things as they are. Returning to America, his father gave him a large farm in Pennsylvania where his studies of birds led him to decide to write a book on bird life, and illustrate it by his own drawings. This was a great task, but when this young man decided to do anything he never allowed difficulties to stand in his way. So he began his work and studied and painted year after year. He had to live much of the time in the woods, studying how the birds lived and built their nests. Sometimes he went by boat down the river; sometimes he went on horseback. Often he tramped alone through the trackless woods. Many nights he slept out-of-doors. He lost all his money and was obliged to stop his work and paint portraits and sell his choice drawings for a living. His heroic wife took up school-teaching to help him out with his work. One day while traveling he left his paintings of nearly a thousand birds in a wooden box in the home of a friend. Two months later, when he returned and opened the box, he found two large rats had got into the box and cut up all the paintings with their sharp teeth, making a nest for their young among the gnawed pieces. He said, “I will make better paintings!” It took him four long years to complete his pictures, but at last the great book was completed and published and praised throughout France, England, and the United States.

The Society for the Protection of Our Feathered Friends was organized by this great naturalist, who spent the rest of his life for this great object. At present there are few places where boys and girls have not heard of Audubon. He died at his beautiful home on the Hudson River, greatly honored and beloved in France, England, and the United States.