v i EDITOR'S PREFACE. 



of Philadelphia, volumes in and iv; the " Synopsis of the 

 Birds of the United States," by the same author, in the Annals 

 of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York; but princi- 

 pally to George Ord, Esq. the friend and associate of Wilson, 

 who has kindly afforded his valuable counsel and assistance, and 

 has added some highly interesting notes. 



Mr. Ord has likewise permitted the birds, contained in his 

 supplementary volume, to be incorporated with, and his sketch 

 of the life of Wilson to be prefixed to, the work. 



The original plates, engraved under the eye of Wilson, are 

 employed in this edition, after having been carefully examined 

 and retouched by Mr. Alexander Lawson, by whom most of 

 them were executed; and who as an engraver of objects of natu- 

 ral history, stands unrivalled. 



The birds have been coloured by skilful artists, from recent 

 specimens, or from the beautiful preparations belonging to the 

 Philadelphia Museum. The improvements made in the arts 

 within the last few years, have removed many of the difficul- 

 ties that Wilson encountered in this department; and it is there- 

 fore confidently believed that in the permanency, brilliancy and 

 accuracy of the colouring, the plates of the present edition are, 

 at least, not inferior to those of the original. 



