Читать книгу Audubon's Birds - John James Audubon - Страница 3

Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Plate 11, Falconine Birds

1785: John James Audubon is born on the island of Santo Domingo (now Haiti) on 26 April, son of a French sea captain and plantation owner, and his mistress.

1789: Arrives in France where he spends his childhood raised by his stepmother, Mrs Audubon. There, he takes a lively interest in birds, nature and drawing.

1803: Settles in America to escape conscription into the Emperor Napoleon’s army.

1805: Returns to France.

1806: Goes back to America to escape the emperor’s army again.

1808: Marries Lucy Bakewell.

1809: Birth of his son Victor Gifford, first of his two boys (the second named John Woodhouse).

1810: Receives a visit from Alexander Wilson, one of the first ornithologist painters of America. He realises his drawings are better than Wilson’s so he decides to produce a work on all American Birds. Settles with his family in Henderson, Kentucky.

1820: Moves to Cincinnati and follows the Mississippi towards the south to discover the birds of Louisiana (which meant at that time a quarter of the American continent). There he meets the last free Indians.

1826: He sails to Europe to raise money for the printing of his Birds of America and presents his work to the English botanists.

1826:First plate printed.

1828: Presentation of his work to the French botanists, meets Pierre Redouté.

1829: Goes back to America to fulfil his study of birds.

1831–1839: Publication of his Ornithological Biographies in five volumes.

1832: Expedition in the Carolinas and in Florida to observe tropical birds.

1833: Expedition to Labrador, Canada, on the settlements of arctic nesting.

1837: Expedition in Texas.

1834: Starts his exploration of West America.

1838: His 435th and last plate is printed on 20 June.

1843: Last expedition of Audubon to Yellowstone River.

1845–1848: Publication of the Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America.

1851: John James Audubon dies on 27 January.

1886: Founding of the National Audubon Society.