atid Ornithological Biography. 323 



and every other part of its exterior, are carefully measured, and 

 the drawing becomes a fac-simile. Even this method, precise 

 as it is beyond any other, will not necessarily lead to perfection. 

 We know persons, who, although they are acquainted with it, 

 blunder on as they have been wont to do, producing birds with 

 three joints in their hind toes ; legs, the origin of which is any 

 where but in the right place ; necks like a distaff enveloped in 

 tow, and feathers formed of hogs' bristles. There must be an 

 intimate knowledge of the habits and peculiarities, of the whole 

 family history of the different species, together with a proper 

 acquaintance, not merely with the rules, but with the resources, 

 of art, before perfect representations of birds can be produced. 

 As no mere naturalist can represent a bird, so can no mere 

 painter ; we have witnessed the attempts of both, and the re- 

 sults were wretched caricatures. He who would figure animals 

 must be indeed a " painter-naturalist.'" 



Let any man conversant with birds lay before him any num- 

 ber of these plates selected at random, and he will instantly and 

 unhesitatingly pronounce them true representations of nature. 

 The characteristics of the species are present, the forms and at- 

 titudes are copies, the occupations are disclosed, the imagination 

 of a poet has presided over the arrangement. From these 

 plates, there is more to be learned by the student than he may 

 at first imagine. A few examples will suffice to make good the 

 assertion. But before we select a few plates for particular exa- 

 mination, let us remember that we must look upon them as 

 scenes from nature, not merely as representations of birds. 



In criticising a work of this kind, every one has a way of 

 his own. One, without any real knowledge of nature, but 

 having gathered ideas from museums, and technical descrip- 

 tions : — bill brown, iris hazel, back umber, rump red, foreneck 

 cinereous, breast and belly dirty-white, feet horn-colour, &c. — 

 points out to you the beauties and blemishes which he perceives. 

 Another, totally unacquainted with birds or books, trusts to his 

 eloquence, that is, his faculty of uttering nonsense with a good 

 grace. Another, knowing enough, but dull as a Dutchman, 

 applies, in his criticism, rules adapted for the mensuration of 

 planes and solids, tells you that a bill is too long, a feather too 

 short, or a pupil oval when it should be round. 



