GOULD’S HUMMING-BIRDS.
ADDRESS TO THE SUBSCRIBERS.
M e . G o u l d left a large number of Plates drawn on stone for the present work, with the
patterns for colouring approved by him, so that the task of completing the ‘ S u p p l e m e n t t o t h e
M o n o g r a p h o p t h e TROOHiLrD.E ’ seemed at first sight to be an easy one. We have, however,
received from M e . O s b e r t S a l v i n , P .U.S., who has most kindly interested h im s e lf in making this
Monograph perfect, a list of the species left unfigured at the time of Mr. Gould’s decease, and
we find that there are more than one hundred Humming-Birds not represented in the original
Monograph. Some of these it will he impossible to figure, as the type specimens are unique in
foreign collections; but Mr. Salvin has lent us a large number of specimens from his private
collection, which will enable us to give illustrations of the majority of the species.
U n d e r these Circumstances it is impossible to complete the Supplement in four Parts, as
intended by Mr. Gould, who, as we have pointed out ahove, had quite under-estimated the number
of a d d itio n a l species; and we believe that he must have contemplated publishing a further supplemental
volume at some future date. We can promise, however, that the volume shall be completed
in five Parts; and of those that remain to be done the text will be written by M e . B o w d l e e
S h a r p e , of the B r i t i s h M u s e u m , who edited for the Author the letterpress of the two parts
a lr e a d y published by Mr. Gould; and the whole of the work will be under the supervision of
M r . O s b e r t S a l v i n , who has g e n e r o u s ly promised his cooperation.
It should be stated that the second . Part, containing ten Plates, is issued as intended by
Mr. Gould; but the three remaining numbers of the work will contain descriptions of at least
t h i r t y species, with a larger number of Plates than has hitherto been published. This will entail
considerable pecuniary loss to us; but we trust that it will be received by the Subscribers as
evidence that we are prepared to sustain, at any cost, the high reputation of Mr. Gould’s publications;
and we may further add that the Plates will he drawn, as heretofore, by M e . H a r t , and
coloured by the same staff as in Mr. Gould’s lifetime.
HENRY SOTHERAN & Co.
26 Charlotte Street, Bedford Square,
■October 1881.