Audubon the Naturalist: A History of His Life and Time. Vol. 2 (of 2)

by Francis Hobart Herrick

To illustrate what has been said of successive editions of Audubon's plates, we shall give the legends of two or three of the most famous, taken from copies in the British Museum and Boston Society of Natural History libraries or from detached plates obtained in London, in 1903:

Plate i (1st edit., Lizars; Brit. Mus.).—"Great American Cock Male—Vulgo (Wild Turkey) Meleagris Gallopavo. Drawn by J. J. Audubon, M. W. S. Engraved by W. H. Lizars Edinr."

Plate i (2nd or later edit., Havell; Boston Soc. Nat. Hist.).—"Wild Turkey. Meleagris Gallopavo. Linn. Male American Cane. Miegia macrosperma. Drawn from nature by J. J. Audubon F.R.S., F.L.S. Engraved by W. H. Lizars Edinr. Retouched by R. Havell Junr."

Plate vi (1st edit., Lizars; Brit. Mus.).—"Great American Hen & Young, Vulgo, Female Wild Turkey—Meleagris Gallopavo. Drawn from Nature by John J. Audubon F.R.S.E. M.W.S. Engraved by W. H. Lizars Edinr."

Plate vi (2nd or later edit., Havell; detached plate).—The same with the exception of "F.L.S.," added to Audubon's name, and "Retouched by R. Havell. Junr. London, 1829."

Plate vi (3rd or later edit., Havell; Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist.).—"Wild Turkey, Meleagris Gallopavo. Linn. Female and Young." (Artist's name apparently cut off by binder.) "Engraved by W. H. Lizars. Retouched by R. Havell. Junr."

Plate 31. (1st edit., Havell. Brit. Mus.).—"White-headed Eagle, male. Falco Leucocephalus. Fish Fulgo—Yellow mud Cat. Drawn from Nature & Published by John J. Audubon, F.R.S.E., F.L.S., M.W.S. Engraved, Printed & Coloured by R. Havell & Son, London, 1828."

Plate xxxi (2nd or later edit., Havell; Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist.).—"White-headed Eagle, Falco Leucocephalus. Linn. Male. Yellow Cat-fish. Drawn from Nature and Published by John J. Audubon. F.R.S. F.L.S. Engraved, Printed & Coloured, by R. Havell."

Plates which were wholly the work of Lizars have naturally become extremely rare; they were evidently disregarded by Audubon when he recorded on July 2, 1827, that he had given Mr. Children a proof of his first number, which he called "the first in existence," and declared that the two guineas then received was the first money that had been returned to his hands. Lizars' initial number had actually been finished in the previous winter, and a copy of this is recorded as having been given to the daughter of Sir Walter Scott on the 9th of March, 1827.