PREFACE. 
xi 
forming the originals of the present work, should have found a resting-place in the National 
Museum of this country, inasmuch as it comprised examples of both sexes of nearly every 
known species in various stages of plumage, each carefully labelled with its correct scientific 
appellation, the date when and the place where killed, the sex ascertained by dissection, and 
the colouring of the soft parts ; besides which, it comprised the finest specimens I had been 
able to procure during the long period of ten years, collected together at an expense of more 
than ^^2000, and at the cost of three valuable lives, namely, that of Mr, Gilbert above referred 
to; that of Mr. Jobnson Drummond, who was killed by a native while seeking for specimens 
in Western Australia ; and that of a fine young man, one of the attendants assigned to me 
by Sir John Franklin, who was accidentally killed by the explosion of a gun he was removing 
from a boat when landing on one of the islands in Bass's Straits. Regretting that I could 
not afford to make a donation of it, I addressed a letter to J. E. Gray, Esq., tbe chief 
Zoological officer of the British Museum, in which, after stating that the entire collection 
amounted to nearly 600 species, and upwards of 1800 specimens, with the full complements of 
eggs of more than 300 species, I made the following offer,—" I believe that in some instances 
the Government has lent its aid and support to works of such magnitude as the ' Birds of 
Australia' by taking a certain number of copies ; were this done in my own case, and not 
less than twenty-five copies were taken, I should be most happy to present to the Museum 
both the Collections above-mentioned, but should such an arrangement be declined then I beg 
to offer them to the Trustees for the sum of ^1000." To my own, as well as to the regret of 
nearly every scientific man in Europe, my offer was declined by the Trustees. Upon this 
circumstance becoming known to Edward Wilson, Esq., of Lydstip House, near Tenby in 
Pembrokeshire, that gentleman immediately purchased the entire collection for his brother. 
Dr. T. B. Wilson, of Philadelphia in North America, whither it will be shortly removed, and 
where it will be at all times available for the purposes of science, and form a portion of 
perhaps the most extensive ornithological collection in the world. 
In conclusion I would beg to say, that having brought the "Birds of Australia" to a close, 
after devoting nearly ten years to its production, I trust it will be admitted that it has been 
terminated in the same spirit with which it was commenced, and that any errors which may be 
found will be viewed with leniency, when the extent of the work, and the difficulty of 
procuring and arranging so large a mass of materials, is taken into consideration ; should my 
labours, such as they are, merit the approbation of those who have so liberally supported it. 
