a a a BC) el NNSA NRO BN ACD Ml Ma NPD

 

 

 

 

PREFACE.

ment of the “ Birds of Australia ;” neither is the kindness of His Highness the Prince of Canino,
Sir Wm. Jardine, Bart., Robert Brown, Professor Owen, H. E. Strickland, W. Yarrell,
T. C. Eyton, J. J. Bennett, D. W. Mitchell, and E. Blyth, Esqs., forgotten by one whom they
have ever been sedulous to oblige. My thanks are also due to the Trustees, to J. E. Gray,
and G. R. Gray, Esqs., of the British Museum; and to the authorities of the Linnean and
Zoological Societies of London, the Royal Museums of Berlin, Leyden and Paris, and the
Museum at Sydney. I am also considerably indebted to my friend W. C. L. Martin, Esq.,
author of many valuable works and papers on natural history, for the readiness with which his
varied literary attainments and critical acumen have at all times been rendered, whenever

solicited, to enhance the accuracy of my labours.

At the conclusion of my “ Birds of Europe, I had the pleasing duty of stating that
nearly the whole of the Plates had been lithographed by my amiabie wife. Would that I had
the happiness of recording a similar statement with regard to the present work; but such, alas !
is not the case, it having pleased the All-wise Disposer of Events to remove her from this
sublunary world within one short year after our return from Australia, during her sojourn in
which country an immense mass of drawings, both ornithological and botanical, were made by
her inimitable hand and pencil, and which has enabled Mr. H. C. Richter, to whom, after her
lamented death, the execution of the Plates was entrusted, to perform his task in a manner
highly satisfactory to myself, and I trust equally so to the Subscribers. The colouring, as in
the case of the “Birds of Europe,” and my other works, has been entirely executed by

r. Bayfield, to whose unwearied exertions and punctuality I must not fail to bear testimony,

weed

as well as to the minute accuracy with which his labours have been performed. The printing
Dae es | T
of the Plates, by Messrs. Hullmandel and Walton, and the letter-press, by Messrs. R. and J. E.

a

Taylor, has also been equally satisfactory.

And I cannot refrain from speaking in the highest terms of my assistant, Mr. Edwin C.
eco i mee : 2 A = i PS , :
Prince, who has been with me from the commencement of my various works. I left him in
chancel of the whole ok an: ffairs durj : ER : ict

arge lole oF iy affairs during my absence from England, with a perfect conviction
that he would zealously exert himself for my interest, and the confidence I reposed in him has
been fully realized, not only during my absence, but during the long period of eighteen years.

It was my most anxious wish that the unique and pertect collection of Australian Birds,