ORNITHOLOGY 
OF THE 
UNITED STATES EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 
The Ornithology of this expedition was, we understand, intrusted 
to the charge of Mr. Pcale of Philadelphia, and we looked for the 
publication of the volume with much interest. At the time when 
we knew the text had been printed, having seen a copy forwarded 
by the American Government to the British Museum, and which 
we quoted, “Contributions” 1851, p. 113, we applied to the Ame- 
rican and other booksellers in London in vain for it, and copies 
were ordered equally without success, but at the same time without 
giving any reason that we thought sufficient, for not being able to 
procure a work which we had seen in this country. Inquiries 
from America were also fruitless ; but a letter from a correspon- 
dent last month, has now explained the matter, and we think it 
right that our information regarding a work of such importance 
should be communicated to our subscribers. 
“ It is now quite impossible to obtain the volume on Quadrupeds 
and Birds of the Voyage Vincennes and Peacock. The Govern- 
ment of the United States authorized the printing of one hundred 
copies only of each volume, at the expense of the treasury, but 
furnished, at the cost of additional volumes, as many copies as 
the authors thought proper to order for their personal benefit, a 
privilege of which all of them availed themselves except Mr. Pcale, 
author of the volume on Quadrupeds and Birds. Not a single ex- 
tra copy of his volume was printed, and consequently it has never 
been for sale. About ninety copies were presented to the National 
and State Libraries of Europe and America, and those remaining 
have recently been destroyed by a fire, in the apartments occupied 
by the library of Congress. The atlas was never completed.” 
8H 
