26 MEMORIAL TRIBUTE 



which he called his " first work," although he had pre- 

 viously published many original papers, translations, 

 and compilations, "all in the way of business," as he 

 says. He also during the same period wrote a History 

 of British Quadrupeds for Jardin's Naturalist's Library, 

 Manuals of Botany, Geology, and Zoology, and the 

 first, second, and third volumes of his History of 

 British Birds his " great work," as he himself calls it 

 by anticipation in the preface to the Rapacious Birds, 

 the remaining two volumes having been issued only 

 shortly before his death in 1852. 



A further literary undertaking during this more 

 than busy period had reference to Audubon's Ornitho- 

 logical Biographies. He wrote the whole of the scien- 

 tific part of that work, and a complete synopsis of it. 

 In addition to all his writing, he was also occupied in 

 making those most truthful and finely artistic drawings 

 of British birds in water colour, now in the British 

 Museum. 



The most important outcome, however, of the 

 ten years' work consisted in the three volumes of the 

 History of British Birds, to which the patronage of Her 

 late Majesty had been graciously extended, and to whom 

 the work was dedicated. 



The object which he sought specially to accomplish 

 in the publication of that work is explained by him in 

 the preface to the first volume as follows, viz. " The 

 object I had in view when, many years ago, I com- 

 menced the observations recorded in this work was at 

 some convenient season to lay before the public descrip- 



