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George EDWARDS (1693–1773)

EDWARDS was an English naturalist and ornithologist, known as the "father of British ornithology".

Edwards was born at Stratford, Essex. In his early years he travelled extensively through mainland Europe, studying natural history, and gained some reputation for his coloured drawings of animals, especially birds. In 1733, on the recommendation of Sir Hans Sloane, he was appointed librarian to the Royal College of Physicians in London.

His A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, was first published in four volumes between 1743 and 1751. Three supplementary volumes, under the title Gleanings of Natural History, were issued in 1758, 1760 and 1764. The two works contain engravings and descriptions of more than 600 subjects in natural history not before described or delineated.

Edwards produced his volumes almost single-handedly, for not only did he make the drawings upon which the prints are based, but he also wrote the text, etched the plates and did his own colouring.

He likewise added a general index in French and English, which was afterwards supplied with Linnaean names by Linnaeus himself, with whom he frequently corresponded.

For this work, Edwards was elected to the Royal Society.

About 1764 he retired to Plaistow, Essex, where he later died.

Reference: Wikipedia