This is part two of a two-part series.

If you have not listened to Part 1, you should start there.

It's ironic that John James Autobahn's legendary book, Birds of America,

had to take flight abroad in Europe.

But eventually, scientists in the United States realized just how important the book was.

So much so that, in Philadelphia, the Academy of Natural Sciences once again began debating

whether to admit Audubon as a member.

He had already been rejected once, thanks to the machinations of George Ord.

But by September 1831, the Academy realized that it was

embarrassing itself by denying Audubon. Ord happened to be absent from that month's meeting,

so the other members voted Audubon in. Equally gratifying, they voted to subscribe to his book.

They were now effectively paying him to be a member.

And before long, Audubon's canonization was underway.

He eventually became the most famous ornithologist in history.

Even by 1850, a history book named him

one of the 12 most illustrious Americans since George Washington.

And it had all started with the iconic bird of Washington, the bird that had stirred so many

subscribers' hearts in England, including the kings. Even more than the bald eagle, the bird of

Washington became a symbol of America then. People wrote Pians to it. One read,

From every deep grove, the birds of America will sing Audubon's name, and the bird of

Washington from his craggy home will scream it to the tempests and the stars. The only thing was,

the bird of Washington did not exist.

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