Vo'yXXi] -riic Times" ou John Could. 117 



private virtues, not only exerted himself in the cause of science 

 by giving the weight of his influence with the leading societies 

 or institutions of this nature which grace our island, but by him- 

 self establishing, at no trifling cost, an aviary for the study of 

 rare species of birds "after the life," and the introduction of 

 some as adopted species, and still more by the establishment of 

 a museum of extraordinary ornithological richness, and a collec- 

 tion of original drawings perhaps unequalled in Europe. 



It was at this juncture, under circumstances the most favour- 

 able, with a peculiar predisposition for the study of omitholog)^ 

 to which he had for years devoted himself, and with an artistic 

 feeling for the delineation of the feathered tribes, that Mr. Gould, 

 whose" works constitute the special objects of our notice, began 

 a career which has conducted him to well-merited renown — a 

 career, we rejoice to say, calling him to renewed labours, with 

 fresh laurels in full view. The works of Mr. Gould constitute 

 a new epoch in the history of ornithology. We may look at them 

 in several points. The boldness of the plan on which they were 

 executed, involving a fearful amount of outlay, and depending 

 on their merit alone as a guarantee from heavy pecuniary loss; 

 the number of new species added to science, and of doubtful 

 species cleared away from previous obscurity; the unadorned 

 fidelity of the descriptions; the exquisite accuracy of the plates, 

 in which the utmost adherence to Nature is united with that 

 felicitous efl:"ect which stamps the artist, and proves (unlike 

 what we tolerate in Latham and ridicule in Catesby — viz., false 

 drawing, hardness, and inelegance, unredeemed by precision) 

 that grace and truthfulness may meet together. Again, Mr. 

 Gould's works form in themselves an ornithological museum, 

 pictorial we grant, but of such a character as to obviate the 

 necessity of a collection of mounted specimens obtained at no 

 trifling cost, and preserved, even where room can be afforded 

 for them, not without the greatest trouble. Of course, we say 

 this with reference more particularly to his Birds of Europe, to 

 his Monographs of the Toucans, of the Trogons, to the Birds of 

 ^■lustraVia, to the Partridges and Quails of America, and to the 

 Humming Birds and Birds of Asia, now in the course of publi- 

 cation. 



We have said that the works of Mr. Gould constitute a new- 

 epoch in the history of ornithology, and we say so advisedly. 

 Let it not be supposed that we deny great credit to others — to 

 writers on certain departments of ornithology who have admir- 

 ably illustrated their subject. Nor can praise be denied to many 

 well-written works of a popular nature, which in themselves 

 suffice to prove the vast advance which zoological science has 

 made, and its impress on the public mind. But from all these 

 Mr. Gould's works stand out in bold relief — that are "themselves 

 alone." We do not here forget Audubon's Birds of America,^ 

 with his Biography; but, without undervaluing the labours of 

 that energetic zoologist, the hardness of whose often well-drawn 

 illustrations, and the inflated style of whose imaginative descrip- 



