5 
“ The return of Mr. Gould, the ornithologist, from his exploration 
of the Australasian continent, is scarcely known to the scientific 
world, before the first-fruits of his labours are presented to the public 
in the shape of Part I. of his splendid work on the Birds of Australia. 
Before his departure he had acquired a high reputation as a naturalist ; 
but in thus investigating an extensive, interesting, and almost un- 
known field, Mr. Gould has greatly raised his claims to scientific 
distinction; and the circumstance of his having undertaken this 
enterprise at his sole charge, entitles him to every encouragement 
in the completion of this costly and valuable addition to natural 
science. The birds are mostly drawn of the natural size, and in 
attitudes caught from life. The colouring is fresh from nature, and 
each plate is as highly finished as if it were a drawing ; in a word, 
the work is got up in a similar style of excellence to the ‘ Birds of 
Europe,’ with which it will correspond in size and probable ex- 
tent/’ — Spectator . 
“That Mr. Gould’s new production, ‘The Birds of Australia,’ 
so important to the zoologist, and, as far as he has proceeded, so in- 
trinsically excellent, may meet with the success it merits, is our 
cordial wish. It has already secured a large number of supporters, 
and is dedicated by permission to Her Majesty, whose name, with 
that of her illustrious consort, stands at the head of the list of sub- 
scribers .” — Westminster Review, April 1841. 
“Among those splendid publications of science and art which the 
liberality of governments has given to the world, there are few which 
in point of beauty or completeness are superior to this unassisted 
enterprise of a single individual. Regardless of expense and risk, 
Mr. Gould proceeded to Australia for the sole purpose of studying 
nature in her native wilds, and after spending two years in traver- 
sing the forests and plains of that continent, he returned home with a 
valuable collection of specimens, and a still more precious one of 
facts. These he is now engaged in bringing before the public, and 
the many new and interesting details of natural history which his 
work contains indicate powers of observation and of description 
which will place the name of Gould in the same rank with those of 
Levaillant, Azara, Bewick, Wilson, and Audubon.”—- Report of Brit. 
Assoc. 1844, p. 190. 
