2A.O Correspondence. F^" 



Zoological Society of London, were identified by Gould as Eufsychortyx 

 cristatus (Linn.). 



PI. XIIL [LXX.]. Fig. I, "Ortyx macroura " [Dendrortyx macrurus 

 (Jard. & Selby)], a representation of the type in coll. Jardine (Jardine & 

 Selbv, 111. Orn., I. PI. 49, 1828), probably adapted from the plate in [ardine 

 & Selby; Fig. 2, "Ortyx montezumse " [Cyrtonyx montezumre (Vig.)], 

 after Jardine & Selby, Vol. III. PI. 126, 1833, but altered. 



PI. XIV. [LXXI.]. Fig. I, " Ortyx douglasii " [Lophortyx elegans 

 (Less.)]; Fig. 2, "Ortyx californica" [Lophortyx californicus (Shaw)], 

 $ ; Fig. 3, do., $. Original. 



PI. XV. [LXXIII.]. "Ortyx picta" [Oreortyx pictus plumifer Gould)]. 

 Fig- I, $ ; Fig. 2, $ [.'']. Original. The earliest pictorial representation 

 of the species, so far as I know, but unfortunately a wretched performance. 

 The so-called female, particularly, looks as if it might have been con- 

 structed from Douglas's remarkable description of the female of 

 Ortyx pictus. 



PI. XVI. [CII.]. Fig. I, "Scolopax noveboracensis " [Macrorhamphus 

 griseus (Gmel.)] ; Fig. 2, "Scolopax wilsonii" [Gallinago delicata Ord] ; 

 Fig. 3, "Scolopax minor" [Philohela minor (Gmel.)]. All after Wilson. 



That a very small edition of Brown's work was published is evinced by 

 its excessive rarity at the present time. The book was not of a character 

 to meet any real want, and moreover it entered into competition with 

 the great work of Audubon's, then publishing. An entry in Audubon's 

 journal in October, 1830, goes far toward explaining the failure of Capt. 

 Brown's undertaking, and at the same time brings out in bright relief the 

 indefatigable industry and colossal self-confidence of Audubon : 



"A few days after I began writing on the Biography, it was known in 

 Edinburgh that I had arrived, and Professors Jameson, Graham, and others 

 whom I had known, called on me; and I found at the 'fourteenth hour,' 

 that no less than three editions of ' Wilson's Ornithology ' were about to 

 be published, one by Jameson, one by Sir W. Jardine, and another by a 

 Mr. Brown. Most persons would probably have been discouraged by 

 this information, but it only had a good effect on me, because since I 

 have been in England 1 have studied the character of Englishmen as 

 carefully as I studied the birds in America. And I know full well, that 

 in England novelty is always in demand, and that if a thing is well 

 known it will not receive much support. Wilson has had his day, 

 thought I to myself, and now is my time. I will write, and I will hope 

 to be read ; and not only so, but I will push my publication with such 

 unremitting vigour, that my book shall come before the public before 

 Wilson's can be got out. 



"Writing now became the order of the day. I sat at it as soon as I 

 awoke in the morning, and continued the whole long day, and so full 

 was mj' mind of birds and their habits, that in my sleep I continually 

 dreamed of birds. I found Mr. McGillivray equally industrious, for 

 although he did not rise so early in the morning as I did, he wrote much 



