34 U ATHKWS, Lewi 11' s " Birds of New South Wales." [.sf'juiy 



lirst published in 1814." I have now acquired a copy of a book 

 entitled " Birds of New South Wales, with their Natural History," 

 by John William Lewin, A.L.S. (Sydney). Printed by G. Howe, 

 1813. We have here another book of great historical interest, 

 and I give my rendering of the facts, and again invite criticism. 



This is probably the first book devoted to natural history printed 

 and PUBLISHED in Australia. Shaw's "Zoology" (1794) and 

 Lewin's (1808) were, of course, printed and pubhshed in London, 

 as, also, was apparently Lewin's "Insects" (1805). This Aus- 

 trahan book differs a little from the London (1808) one. The 

 order of the plates is not exactly the same, and the letterpress is 

 very scanty, no scientific names being given. There are eighteen 

 plates, and at the foot of each has probably been printed : 

 " Published as the Act directs" (different dates in December, 1804, 

 to February, 1905) "by J. W. Lewin, New South Wales." This 

 appears on Plate L in my copy, but it is missing from all the rest, 

 through the binder having cut down the plates very severely. 

 There is, however, a copy in the British Museum (Natural 

 History), and it has not been so badly handled, seven dates being 

 preserved, thus : — 



PL I— i6th Dec, 1804. 



PL 3— 31st Dec. 1804. 



PI. 4 — nth Jan., 1805. 



PL 10— 15th Feb., 1805. 



Consequently, I conclude that, after Lewin had completed his 

 " Insects," he went on to the " Birds." These were engraved 

 and proved and sets struck off in Sydney, and then the plates 

 despatched to England, and the book published under the super- 

 vision of Lewin's brother, with amended letterpress. Then, in 

 1813, Lewin had the Australian sets published in Sydney, the 

 letterpress being printed by G. Howe. The water-mark of the 

 press is " ANSELL 1809," in some cases " C. ANSELL 1809," 

 while the water-mark of the plates is " 1802," save in the case of 

 Plate XVIIL, where it is 1811. Now, this Plate XVIII. is of the 

 Mountain Bee-eater, and it is quite different from the figure given 

 in the 1808 edition, Plate VII. Pipra gnlaris is not included in 

 the 1813 book, but, instead, is a plate of the Crested Shrike, 

 which is not in the 1808 issue. Both plates appear in the 1822 

 issue. The fourteenth plate in the 1813 book gives a figure of 

 the Warty Face Honey Sucker. This is the same plate that is 

 included in the 1808 issue, No. III., but on the latter are engraved 

 additional figures of the head and tongue. Consequently, these 

 must have been added after the Australian sets were struck off, 

 but whether by Lewin himself or by someone else I cannot say 

 — most probably in London. I saw a copy with no title-page 

 in the Sydney Pubhc Library, but I know of no others. Any 

 further information regarding this book will be esteemed and all 

 kindly criticism welcomed. The copy in the Natural History 

 Museum, South Kensington, is not all original, the last plate 

 having been added later. 



