368 
A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 
[maogilliyray 
of his intellectual life and includes his acquaintanceship with 
Audubon and the publication of the first three volumes of 
the History of British Birds (1837-40), together with the 
volume on British Quadrupeds (1838) in Jardine’s Nat. 
Library. He next became, in 1841, Professor of “ Civil and 
Natural History ” in Marischal College, Aberdeen, a position 
he occupied until his death in 1 852, the year of the completion 
of the History. He took his M.A. degree from Aberdeen. 
The two volumes of MS. journals referred to above are 
entitled “ Journal of a Year’s Residence and Travels in the 
Hebrides, by William MacGillivray, from 3rd August 1817 
to 13th August 1818, vol. i. 55 and “ Notes taken in the 
Course of a Journey from Aberdeen to London, by Braemar 
. . . in 1819, by William MacGillivray.” During this arduous 
journey, which he made on foot, he subsisted chiefly on bread 
and water, travelling at one time a distance of 240 miles 
on an expenditure of twelve shillings. 
MacGillivray’ s share in the authorship of Audubon’s 
Ornithological Biography , or an Account of the Habits of the 
Birds of the United States of America (5 vols., 1831-39) is now 
well known, and the author of the Life duly chronicles the 
meeting of these two great men in 1830. Audubon himself 
relates that “ I applied to Mr. James Wilson, to ask if he 
knew of any person who would undertake to correct my un- 
grammatical manuscripts, and to assist me in arranging the 
more scientific part of the Biography of the Birds. He gave 
me a card with the address of Mr. MacGillivray, spoke well 
of him and his talents, and away to Mr. MacGillivray I went. 
He had long known of me as a naturalist. I made known 
my business, and a bargain was soon struck. He agreed to 
assist me and correct my manuscripts . . . and that day 
began to write the first volume.” The exact extent of his 
assistance, however, was never acknowledged and is un- 
certain. Dr. Coues credited him with having supplied the 
“ ornithology ” of the work, that is the anatomical matter, 
and the final classification and nomenclature. 
The fatigues of an excursion he undertook in the autumn 
