John James Audubon (April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851)
John James Audubon (April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851)

was a self-taught American ornithologist, naturalist, hunter, and painter. He painted, cataloged,
and described the birds of North America,
as well as its mammals.
Sailing between Europe and America for more
than a decade, spending enough
time at home to hunt and
draw his subjects and enough time 
in Liverpool, Edinburgh, London, and Paris
to display his work and  secure subscribers for publication,
made it possible for him to continue his quest
to draw each species of American bird...  In March, 2000, Audubon's complete,
double-elephant folio copy  of The Birds of America came up   for sale at Christie's 
(Auction House) New York and <<fetched>>   $US$ 8.8 million. Single prints, taken
from dismembered copies,  change hands at over
$100,000 apiece, such is the fame
and rarity of the most
celebrated ornithological work ever published.