ABOUT THE PUBLICATION / EDITOR / ARTIST

John A. LATHAM (1740–1837)

Dr John Latham was the pre–eminent ornithologist of his day. ‘Known as the Grandfather of Australian ornithology, he was the first to describe, and to name scientifically, a large number of Australian (and New Zealand) birds...’ (Whittell, “The Literature of Australian Birds”). He was a prominent figure in the formation of the Linnean Society in 1789 and a close associate of the leading scientific figures of his day, including Sir Joseph Banks, Thomas Pennant and Sir Ashton Lever, with whom he swapped specimens and reports of the latest ornithological discoveries. He built up a substantial collection of bird skins and a very fine library: ‘Latham dominated ornithology for half a century... It must always be borne in mind that Latham, as well as following his profession, visited all the museums, published his works, etched every copper plate in his original work, stuffed and set up almost every animal in his very extensive museum, and put together, with his own hands, a great many of the very cases in which they were disposed...’ (Gregory Mathews).

During Latham’s long lifetime there poured in upon him countless new discoveries from all parts of the world, but especially from the newly-explored shores of Australia and the islands of the Pacific Ocean. According to WRB Oliver, both the specimens and the drawings collected by the Forsters in the New Zealand region during Cook’s second voyage, together with those specimens collected during Cook’s first voyage were used by Latham when writing his General Synopsis of Birds (1781–1785). The Synopsis was limited to 500 copies.

The General History of Birds, (1821–28) which was to become his best–known work, is an expansion of his earlier General Synopsis of Birds. The General History contains 193 plates ‘including all the species in his former work as well as many additional ones, including Australian and New Zealand species in the collection of the Linnean Society...’ (Whittell). He designed, sketched and coloured the illustrations himself.

The German edition of Latham's A General Synopsis of Birds (London 1781-1785), Allgemeine Ubersicht der Vogel was published from 1792-1812 in Nuremberg in 4 volumes, was edited by J. M. Bechstein and included 183 hand-colored engravings.

Reference to Latham's works can be found in Sitwells Fine Bird Books (pg 114) and Jacksons Dictionary of Bird Artists of the World (pg 329).

Each engraving is on fine chain-linked paper that measures approximately 8 1/4 x 10 1/4 inches.