Armadillo

Cougar, male

Many of the animals and birds described by Audubon are found in Texas. The sheer size and diversity of terrain of the state provide many different types of habitats, from shoreline to plains, dense forests, mountains and desert.

John James Audubon and his son John Woodhouse briefly visited the new Republic in 1837, but found that the bird population was very similar to Louisiana. However, John Woodhouse returned to Texas in 1845-46 , spending six months riding with Texas Ranger Col. John Coffee Hays for a lengthy tour of the land and discovery of its quadruped population. His work was enhanced by the many stories from American military officers crossing south Texas due to the Mexican American War. Their encounters with Red Texan Wolves, Armadillos and cougars enriched Audubon's personal observations.

The plates known as the Texas Quads are highly desirable to collectors in both the Imperial Folio (21.5" x 27.5")size and Octavo size (7" x 10.5" ). Collecting the complete set of Octavos provides a full Texas collection of Audubon, in a small enough form to be successfully displayed within a home setting.

The listing of quadrupeds observed by John Woodhouse in Texas has grown to include others known to have inhabited Texas, such as the buffalo. Even otters at that time were prevalent in the Sabine River.