114 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol, IV. 



FORGOTTEN BIRD-ARTISTS AND AN OLD-TIME 

 ORNITHOLOGIST. 



By Gregory M. Mathews and Tom Iredale. 



The fame, for good or bad, of an ornithologist depends upon 

 publicity, and it is unfortunate that some of the older orni- 

 thologists have been overlooked. Similarly an artist may have 

 done splendid service but be practically unknown through a 

 lack of signature to the work done. 



VV^hen the Watling drawings were received at the British 

 Museum the whole were ascribed to that painter because 

 they had been furnished to his employer by him, but examina- 

 tion has shown that the majority was not drawn by him but 

 by one or two assistants whose identity is at present unknown. 

 Further, a book of drawings in the Banksian collection in 

 the British Museum was also ascribed to Watling by James 

 Britten, who wrote (Journ. Botany, Vol. XL., p. 302, 1902) : 

 " Apart from its contents (the real Watling book is here 

 referred to) the volume is interesting on account of the light 

 which it throws upon an entry on p. 253, Vol. I., of Dryander's 

 ' Catalogue of the Banksian Library ' ; this runs ' Volumen 

 fohorum 70, continens figuras animahum et plantarum pictas 

 quas in Nova Cambria prope Port Jackson delineavit Edgar 

 Thomas Dell.' In Banks's copy the last four words are struck 

 out, and a comparison of the volume with the one acquired 

 from Mr. Lee shows that it is the work of the same artist. 

 Wathng was acquainted with John White (' Surgeon- General 

 to the Settlement '), who sent plants to Smith, and published 

 in 1790 his ' Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales ' ; 

 one or two of Wathng's drawings were executed for White." 



We have recently examined this volume and find the 

 paintings are certainly not made by Thomas Wathng, from 

 comparison with work signed by that artist.* 



* Note. — -Oiir attention was drawn to this by Mr. H. W. England, in 

 charge of the books in the Zoological Department at the British Musenni 

 (Natural History) who is well aware of our interest in these paintings, and 

 who has always assisted us in connection with oiw examination of the 

 drawings, and to whom we here tender our best thanks. 



