xvi PoE EA Cam: 
with their Permifion, for my own Collettion ; and having ftored up fame hundreds, I 
foewed them from time to time+to curious Gentlemen who favour'd me with their Vifits, 
and in looking them over, feveral of them have told me, that there were many among 
them that bad not been figured or defcribed by any Author, and that it would be worth 
my while to publifh them; but I was backward in refoluimg to do it, becaufe I knew not 
So much of many of the Birds, as to know from what Country they came, which is very 
material in Natural Hiftory. They anfwer'd, that as I had taken the Draughts from 
Nature, and that it could be well attefied, and the like Birds might perhaps never be 
met with again, it was better to preferve the F igures without knowing their Countries 
than not at all. Ibave not had the Advantage of being in the Countries out of Europe 
where any of the Birds I have defcribed are found, as fome prefent Writers of Natural 
Hiftory have; but I have taken all the Pains in my Power to make my Defeription aoe 
perfect as the nature of the thing will admit of. I have been particularly careful never 
to [peak in the Afirmative, but where I was fully fatisfied Iwas in the right, The far 
greater part of thefe Defcriptions are from Birds never before defcribed: There are in- 
deed fome few which have been defcribed, but not figured, and fome that have been very 
ill figured and defcribed before; but I have not drawn or deferibed any thing that was 
done before in any tolerable Degree of Perfection; fo that thefe Draughts and Defcrip- 
tions may be looked on as new. I have not tranfcribed the Defcriptions out of other 
Authors without acknowledging from whence I had them, as a late Publifber of a great 
Number of coloured Birds has done; but always chofe to have old Defcriptions fartheft 
from my Mind, when I defcribed any thing, becaufe I thought Nature herfelf the beft 
Direétor. I have indeed, as I ought, con ulted Men and Books, in order to gain all the 
Light I could to dirett me in thefe Deferiptions, and to make them as clear and intelligible 
as might be. A 
I was difcouraged, upon firft thinking of this Work, at the great Expence of graving: 
printing, and other things, which I knew would be a certain Coft attended with a very 
uncertain Profit, till my good Friend Mr. Catetby put me on etching my Plates myfelf, as 
he had done in bis Works; and not only fo, but invited me to fee him work at Etching, 
and gave me all the neceffary Hints and Inftrutlions to proceed, which Favour I think 
my - 
