b PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



London, 20 Bboad Stbeet, 

 Golden Squakb, 

 Oct. 19, 1854. 

 My dear Sir : 



On my return to London after a seven weeks' absence, I find your friendly 

 letter of the 31st of August and beg you will accept my best thanks for the in- 

 terest you are pleased to express in my work on the Trochilidae and the sug- 

 gestion you have made for its improvement. I have not yet had time to 

 ascertain its value, but will take an early opportunity of doing so; in the mean- 

 time, if you could carry into effect your kind offer to send me one or two of 

 your plates for inspection, I would be obliged. As you will see by the en- 

 closed, the value of Gelatine as a transparent medium has not escaped my 

 notice, as I have printed on it, but I had not thought of employing it in the 

 way you mention. Any hints therefore as to the mode of the application, 

 etc. , will be acceptable to me. 



I regret to say I cannot let you have any particular part of the Trochilidae, 

 as were I to do so, I could not replace it and thus a copy of the entire work 

 would be spoiled. Most of the copies are already subscribed for, and I have 

 little doubt that like some of my other publications, every copy will be sold 

 by the time it is completed. You are probably aware that it appears at the 

 rate of 2 parts a year, price three Guineas each. Six parts have appeared, 

 and I should not object to receive a subscriber's name who would take 3 parts 

 a year until he has arrived at the current numbers for the year, when of course, 

 he would only have to take two. Perhaps such an arrangement might suit 

 you. 



Keciprocating your good feelings, 



1 remain, 



My dear Sir, 



Yours very truly, 



John Gotild. 



In March of the following year, 1855, another letter written 

 to Gould was replied to on August 8, of the same year as fol- 

 lows: 



London, 20 Broad St., 

 Golden Squabe, 

 August 8, 1855. 

 My dear Sir: 



Your friend Mr. Sharpe duly forwarded me your letter of the 3rd of March 

 and the accompanying drawings, for which I beg you will accept my best 

 thanks. I have examined them with much interest and certainly consider 

 them to be very superior, the Bartail especially being very near to nature. I 

 fear, however, I shall not be able to turn your kind attention to account, my 

 own process being performed with greater rapidity, besides which the making 

 of a single or a few drawings being one thing, the preparation of many thou- 



