8 OBSERVATIONS ON CANADIAN BIRDS. 
he had to contend with ; he had not the means, neither were there in 
his day facilities for making long journeys, at small expense, such 
as we now enjoy ; his researches were therefore chiefly confined to the 
middle Atlantic States, yet within that limited space of what is usually 
termed North America, he described over 280 species of birds, many 
of which had been entirely overlooked by previous writers. 
When referring to the few mistakes he made, we must also remember 
that he had not access to any library of Natural History, such as now 
exists in many of the American Cities, neither was there at that time 
any museum worthy of the name, to which he could repair with his 
doubtful species. To him, however, Nature’s great Museum in the 
woods, was ever open, thither he went, gun in hand, in quest of his 
favourite birds, and the habits of such as came under his own obser- 
vation, he has described with a truth and felicity which has never 
been excelled. 
Audubon followed with all the enthusiasm peculiar to his countrymen, . 
and. by extending the field of his observations, and procuring specimens 
from distant parts of the continent, brought up the number of de- 
scribed species to about 500. 
Since the time that the writings of these authors were submitted 
to the public, many influences have been in operation to bring the 
subject nearer to completion, foremost of which have no doubt been, 
the general diffusion of knowledge, and the attention which has been: 
paid to education throughout the United States. A new field of obser- 
vation has also been opened up by the annexation of Texas, New 
Mexico and California, where a great variety of birds are found 
which do not occur on the northern or eastern part of the Continent ; 
these vast territories have been visited by various scientific men, who 
have published from time to time their notes and observations on the 
new species of birds met with, but owing to the great expense attending 
the getting up of such works with costly illustrations, they have 
never been much known to the public. 
The American Government too, deserves all credit for the facilities 
it has granted, for collecting, arranging, and publishing, the most 
recent discoveries on this subject. With each of the exploring parties 
which have within the last few years traversed the western part of 
the Continent, for various purposes, officers have been sent, specially 
charged with making notes and collecting specimens of the natural 
history of the different regions through which they passed, and the 
