72 CONSERVATOR OF SURGEONS’ MUSEUM [ch. iy. 
two eminent men extended through nine years— 
both working zealously and in perfect harmony with 
each other until the work was finished—Audubon 
having during that period paid two more visits to 
America for the purpose of obtaining further 
information and additional specimens for his two 
great works. 
The first of the five volumes of the Ornitho¬ 
logical Biographies was published by Adam Black, 
Edinburgh, in 1831, while the remaining four 
appeared in 1834, 1835, 1838, and 1839 respect¬ 
ively. In this last year a synopsis of the whole, 
entirely composed by MacGillivray, was also 
published. 
In his introduction to the first volume, Audubon 
warmly acknowledges his indebtedness to Mac¬ 
Gillivray for the part of the joint task contributed 
by him; and in the introduction to the fourth 
volume, he again refers to MacGillivray’s work in 
appreciative terms, making special mention of the 
vast number of the specimens he had examined 
(fully 500), his anatomical descriptions, and his 
sketches illustrative of them. In the preface to 
the fifth and concluding volume, while referring with 
gratitude to the Edinburgh friends who had been 
especially helpful to him, and to whom he says he 
will ever feel deeply indebted, he continues : “ The 
first and the best is William MacGillivray. I wish 
that you, reader, and all the world besides, knew 
him as well as I do; ” and again, in referring to 
the arrival of his wife and other members of his 
