wilson] 
BRITISH ORNITHOLOGY 
653 
Wilson (James), 1 1795-1856 
Wilson, who is said at an early age to have evinced a love 
of natural history, was born at Bisley, Nov. 1795 , and 
educated at Edinburgh, and began his training for Writer 
to the Signet in 1813 . He read his first paper to the 
Wernerian Society in 1815 . In 1816 he was deputed to go 
to Paris to purchase the Dufresne collection, now in the 
Edinburgh College Museum ; and he travelled considerably 
from 1820 to 1823 . He was a friend and correspondent 
of Sir William Jardine, with whom he often stayed at 
Jardine Hall, and was one of the party that accom- 
panied Sir William to Sutherland in 1834 . He married in 
1824 Miss Isabella Keith and resided at Woodville. He 
conducted the natural history department of the Encyclo- 
pedia Britannica ( 1838 ), and published several works on 
natural history, the most important of which is the under- 
noted Illustrations of Zoology ( 1828 - 31 ). In 1841 , 1843 , and 
1850 , he, at the request of the Fisheries Board, accompanied 
their Secretary on his cruises round the coasts of Scotland. 
He died at Woodville, May 18 , 1856 . 
1818. Observations on some species of the genus Ealco of Linnaeus. [Mem. 
Wernerian N.H. Soc. ii. [1811-16], pp. 569-617.) 
1823. Remarks on the different opinions entertained regarding the specific 
distinction, or identity, of the Ring-tailed and Golden Eagles. 
(Op. cit. iv. pt. ii. [1821-23], pp. 434-48.) 
Observations on some species of the genus Mergus. ( T.e . pp. 
475-84.) 
*1831. Illustrations of Zoology, being representations of new, rare, or 
remarkable subjects of the Animal Kingdom, drawn and coloured 
after nature, with historical and descriptive details. Edinburgh : 
1831. 
This fine series of plates contains an admirable representation 
of the Great Auk (from Papa Westra, Orkneys.) 
1 vol. roy. folio, 36 col. pi. and descriptive text. Twenty of the 
plates are of birds, mostly foreign. 
1842. A Voyage round the Coasts of Scotland and the Isles. Edinburgh : 
1842. 
1 For the substance of this and various other notes on north country ornithologists 
we are indebted to Mr. H. 8. Gladstone, who has kindly placed his MS. biographical 
collections at our disposal. 
