252 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XIX. 



in the libraries there, but can find no trace, nor even a mention, 

 of any such collection.* I cannot but think, therefore, that 

 Edwards was under some misapprehension regarding the 

 collection, which may have been placed by the owner in the 

 British Museum on loan temporarily. In any case, we shall 

 find that many of Lot en's drawings were utilized for works 

 later than Edwards's ; and from the details given by Mr. van 

 Houten it seems absolutely certain that the collection of 

 paintings of which he is the fortunate possessor is the very 

 same as that referred to by Edwards. 



Edwards died in 1773 ; and in 1776 appeared a work in- 

 tended, evidently, as a supplement to his two books, but very 

 inferior to them in the execution of the plates, f This was the 

 New Illustrations of Zoology , by Peter Brown, J who in his 

 preface says : — 



Several plates are copied from the elegant Drawings, generously 

 communicated to me by Gideon Loten Esq; and originally 

 finished under his own inspection from living subjects, during 

 his residence in the Islands of Java and Ceylon, of the latter of 

 which he has been Governor for a considerable time. 



To this is appended the following footnote : — 

 A Certificate in Mr Loten's own hand- writing, declaring the 

 Plates faithful copies of his valuable Drawings, is in the hands of 

 Mr Benjamin White, Fleet-street, for the Inspection of such 

 Persons who should like to be convinced of their Authenticity. 



* Nor has a search instituted at the Natural History Museum at 

 South Kensington proved any more successful, as Dr. Bowdler Sharpe 

 kindly informs me. 



f In his preface Brown speaks of his " feeble efforts ;" but this may 

 be mock modesty. Compare Legge's disparaging remarks quoted in 

 the footnote at the end of Mr. van Houten's first paper. 



% Pennant, in his Literary Life (25), says : — " In this year [1776] 

 Peter Brown, a Dane by birth, and a very neat limner, published his 

 illustrations of natural history in large quarto, with L. plates. At 

 my recommendation, Mr. Loten lent to him the greatest part of the 

 drawings to be engraven, being of birds painted in India. I patronized 

 Brown, drew up the greatest part of the description for him, but had 

 not the least concern in the preface." (The meaning of the last clause 

 is, that Pennant is spoken of in flattering terms in the preface.) In his 

 Catalogue of My Works (l"ISQ) Pennant gives the same facts in briefer 

 form, 



