114 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Mr. Gould had now been actively and successfully engaged 
for two years in collecting not only the birds, but the mammals 
and other natural productions of Australia; and in that space of 
time had gained, as he said, “a rich harvest of knowledge.” 
Many considerations now induced him unwillingly to return to 
England, and after a safe voyage he arrived in London in 
August, 1840, bringing with him as the fruit of his enterprise 
the finest collection of natural history specimens which it has 
perhaps never fallen to the lot of one man to procure. Not the 
least interesting portion consisted of the nests and eggs of all or 
nearly all the species (numbers of them new to Science) of which 
he had a series in every stage of plumage. 
He at once prepared to utilise these collections, and having 
paved the way by the issue of his ‘Synopsis of the Birds of 
Australia,’ 1837-38, commenced his magnificent work on the 
‘Birds of Australia,’ in seven folio volumes, which, being issued 
at intervals in parts, was not completed until 1848, and was 
followed by a supplement in 1851. Before the publication of 
this important work had commenced, however, such was his 
industry that he had completed, in 1838, a Monograph of the 
Trogons, a group of birds inhabiting America, India, and Africa, 
whose beauty and brilliancy of plumage is surpassed only by the 
Humming Birds. Of this a second edition was subsequently 
produced between the years 1858-75. In 1844 he commenced 
his Monograph of the American Partridges (Odontophorine), and 
in 1849 a Monograph of the Humming Birds (Trochilide). This 
beautiful work, appearing in parts at irregular intervals, was not 
completed until 1861, in which year Mr. Gould published, in 
convenient octavo form, his useful Introduction to the T'rochilide. 
During the year of the first International Exhibition, Mr. Gould’s 
collection of Humming Birds was exhibited at the Zoological 
Society's Gardens, in a building expressly set apart for the 
purpose. While the work on the Humming Birds was still im 
progress, he commenced his ‘ Birds of Asia’ (1850-80), and this 
was followed in turn by ‘ The Birds of Great Britain,’ five vols. 
(1862-78), with an octavo introduction to the same (1873), ‘The 
Mammals of Australia’ (1863), and ‘The Birds of New Guinea’ 
(1875-80). All these are in folio, with coloured plates. 
His account of the birds collected during the voyages of 
H.M.S. ‘Beagle’ and ‘Surphur,’ both of great interest to 
