130 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. III. 



Melbourne. Love of ornithology must have been implanted in 

 his nature, as in 1878 he was in correspondence with Dr. E. P. 

 Ramsa}?-, Curator of the Australian Museum, Sydney. The 

 Doctor was impressed with his enthusiasm, for in November, 



1886, he came under engagement to the Museum. In February, 



1887, he was given the task of writing Catalogue No. 12 of the 

 Australian Museum " Descriptive Catalogue of the Nests and 

 Eggs of Birds found breeding in Australia and Tasmania," 

 and herein is shown for the first time his conscientiousness in 

 his work. This book was finished and the title-page printed 

 in 1889, when an accession of material provided him with an 

 Appendix, and at the same time he incorporated items in the 

 body of the work. This delayed the publication of the work 

 until 1890, but the old title-page was utilised, to the misleading 

 of bibliographers. 



In 1891 Ramsay's Catalogue of the Psittaci in the Australian 

 Museum was published. The introduction concludes : " I 

 have much pleasure in acknowledging the assiduity and 

 diligence of my assistant, Mr. A. J. North, in the preparation 

 of this work." Ramsay's Acciptres and Striges were revised 

 in their Second Edition by North, and his carefulness is always 

 seen by his accurate quotations of Ramsay as authority for 

 all doubtful inclusions. This care was a great drawback to 

 one situated as he was — a pioneer to a great extent, and 

 successor to two famous workers such as Gould and Ramsay. 

 Thus he appears to have been overawed by the authority 

 of the British Museum " Authorities " upon subjects he was 

 more competent to deal with. When he did attempt original 

 work he found himself handicapped by lack of necessary 

 literature, and he was able enough to understand what the 

 lack meant ; as one consequence, whenever he found himself 

 blocked by such means he dropped the matter, and the result 

 was just as bad as if he had followed the matter up incompletely. 

 As a matter of fact it was worse, for when he did continue 

 and publish his results, though imperfect, they served to the 

 correction of errors. North will be remembered by his great 

 work, the second edition of Catalogue No. 12, which appeared 



