Vol l906 in ] Stone > Ornithological Works of J. J. Audubon. 299 



List, and in all other works that I have consulted. This fact, to- 

 gether with the discovery of a few names on the plates which seem 

 to have been universally overlooked, will be my excuse for the 

 following summary, which, while it may contain nothing new, 

 puts the matter in convenient shape for ready reference. 



Audubon's ornithological works, exclusive of a few magazine 

 articles, are four in number: (1) The Elephant Folio Plates of 'The 

 Birds of America'; (2) The 'Ornithological Biography,' virtually 

 the text to the above; (3) The 'Synopsis of the Birds of North 

 America,' a systematic summary of the preceding; and (4) the 

 octavo edition of 'Birds of America,' text and plates combined. 

 We shall consider them in order. 



I. — The Elephant Folio. 



The publication of this great work was begun in Edinburgh in 

 1827, the plates being engraved by W. H. Lizars. It appeared in 

 parts, which Dr. Coues says are "supposed to be of 5 pll. each." 

 Of this I think there can be no doubt as each five successive plates 

 bear a different "part" number. The first plate in each number 

 is a large full page one representing one of the larger species. 

 Audubon refers to this plan in his journal when he says: "The 

 wild Turkey-cock is to be the large bird of my first number" 

 (Audubon and his Journals, I, p. 175). 



Each plate contains the common and scientific name of the bird 

 and a'so of the plant figured with it. The lettering of the bird 

 names being entirely in capitals, it is often difficult to tell whether 

 it was the intention to capitalize the initial letter of the specific 

 name or not; in some instances, however, it is made distinctly 

 larger. Authorities are sometimes placed after the names and 

 sometimes omitted, while those that are given are frequently in- 

 correct. 



Lizars proved very slow and his work, especially that of the 

 colorists, was by no means satisfactory. Later on Audubon 

 engaged Robert Havell of London to do the coloring, and some 

 time between this date and September 30, transferred the whole 

 work to his hands. It seems that Lizars engraved only two parts,, 



