A contribution to Mr. Audubon equal at least to that of Boston or New York, would seem due from Philadelphia. The subscription price may be considered as large ($ 1,000), but how rich, ornamental, instructive, and entertaining is the work, and how much preferable to the merely personal gewgaws or transitory gratifications, upon which greater sums are as frequently expended! There are few minds of any refinement or elevation, to which an act that rewards genius and fosters science, would not yield higher and more durable pleasure than any ordinary luxury. We learn that Mr. Audubon will return to the United States next autumn, and make a short sojourn before his embarkation for Europe. Eight or nine more years, it is supposed, will yet be necessary for the consummation of his grand design. His constitution appears to be still vigorous; his zeal is unabated; his powers of graphic delineation have suffered no decay; we may, therefore, expect that he will realize all his own laudatory hopes and projects, and in so doing confer new obligations on the votaries of natural history, and reflect additional honor on his country. While Audubon was still at Eastport, and looking anxiously for young recruits, the following letter was received from Dr. George Parkman:[30] _Dr. George Parkman to Audubon_ BOSTON, _May 25th. 1833_. J. J. AUDUBON Esqr. DEAR SIR Through the unceasing & active good-will of our Friend, Dr. Shattuck, I present to you Mr. Ingalls, son of Dr. Ingalls, one of our senior physicians & an experienced public teacher of Anat.y & Surg.y— The son is the father's pupil; & we have reason to expect that he will prove a satisfactory disciple to you. The enclosed I claim for you the right to read, & for myself to repossess, when we meet again. respectfully G. PARKMAN. [Illustration: LETTER OF DR. GEORGE PARKMAN TO AUDUBON, MAY 25, 1833. From the Howland MSS.] Edward Harris was unable to accompany his friend, and the four young men eventually chosen were Joseph Coolidge,[31] William Ingalls, of Boston, Thomas Lincoln, of Dennisville, Maine, and George Cheyne Shattuck,[32] the son of Dr. George C. Shattuck of Boston; these, with John Woodhouse Audubon and the naturalist, made up the party. The schooner _Ripley_, a staunch new vessel of 106 tons, was chartered at Eastport, and the expedition was ready to start by the latter part of May. During his stay at Eastport Audubon visited Grand Manan Island, a favorite resort for sea birds in the Bay of Fundy, and cruised about the coast in a revenue cutter. On May 31, he wrote to Victor:[33]