PROSPECTUS. 



To those who have not seen any portion of the Author's Collection 

 of Original Drawings, it may be proper to state, that their superio- 

 rity consists in the accuracy as to proportion and outline, and the va- 

 riety and truth of the attitudes and positions of the figm-es, resulting 

 from peculiar means discovered and employed by the Author, and 

 his attentive examination of the objects portrayed, during a long 

 series of years. The Author has not contented himself, as others 

 have done, with single profile views, but in very many instances has 

 grouped his figures, so as to represent the originals at their natural 

 avocations, and has placed them on branches of trees, decorated with 

 foliage, blossoms and fruits, or amidst plants of numerous species. 

 Some are seen pursuing their prey through the air, searching for 

 food amongst the leaves and herbage, sitting on their nests, or feed- 

 ing their young ; whilst others, of a difi"erent nature, swim, wade, or 

 glide in or over their allotted element. The Insects, Reptiles and 

 Fishes, that form the food of these birds, have now and then been in- 

 troduced into the drawings. In every instance where a difference of 

 plumage exists between the sexes, both the Male and the Female 

 have been represented ; and the extraordinary changes which some 

 species undergo, in their progress from youth to maturity, have been 

 depicted. The Plants are all copied from Nature ; and as many of 

 the originals are remarkable for their beauty, their usefulness, or their 

 rarity, the Botanist cannot fail to look upon them with delight. 



The particulars of the Plan of the "Work may be reduced to the 

 following heads : — 



1. The size of the work is Double Elephant Folio, the paper be- 

 ing of the finest quality. 



2. The engravings are, in every instance, of the exact dimensions 

 of the drawings, which, without any exception, represent the birds 

 and other objects of their natural size. 



3. The Plates are coloured in the most careful manner, from the 

 original drawings. 



