ANDREW WILSON. 91 



Natural History of Birds, the drawing of which he also as- 

 siduously cultivated. Before he left Scotland, he had pub- 

 lished a volume of poems, of, it is said, indifferent merit ; 

 a poem called the " Foresters," he published in America. 

 Besides the art of drawing, he acquired also that of 

 etching. He became afterwards, at a liberal salary, as- 

 sistant editor of an American edition of Rees's Cyclopaedia, 

 the articles of which, on Natural History, it is presumed, 

 were improved under his superintendance. 



His work on Birds, the title of which is, American Orni- 

 thology, or Natural History of the Birds of the United States, 

 illustrated with plates, engraved and coloured from original 

 drawings taken from nature, by Alexander Wilson, in 

 nine volumes, folio, was published at Philadelphia by sub' 

 scription. It was several years completing ; the last vo- 

 lume appeared soon after his death, in 1814. A supplemen- 

 tary volume, containing some further observations on birds, 

 and biographical particulars of the author, has been since 

 published by Mr. Geo. Ord. This work has obtained for 

 Wilson an imperishable name ; it is little known in this 

 country, but every lover of Natural History ought to be ac- 

 quainted with it. Wilson's whole study appears to have 

 been nature ; he derived little knowledge from books ; but 

 he traversed the United States in various directions for in- 

 formation concerning his favourite pursuit. 



He died at Philadelphia, in 1813, aged 47, and left his 

 ornithological work as a monument of his industry, his ta- 

 lent, and research. His descriptions of birds, although ex- 

 tremely accurate, are, nevertheless, highly poetical and 

 picturesque ; and the amiable spirit of humanity towards 

 the objects of his attention, which breathes throughout his 

 work, will never fail to excite for him a feeling of respect 

 and esteem. 



