The PREFACE.

As I was not bred a Painter I hope some faults in Perspective, and other Niceties In the 18th century, "niceties" referred to precise technical refinements or elegances in art., may be more readily excused, for I humbly conceive Plants, and other Things done in a Flat, tho’ exact manner, may serve the Purpose of Natural History, better in some Measure than in a more bold and Painter like Way. In designing the Plants, I always did them while fresh and just gather’d: And the Animals, particularly the Birds, I painted them while alive (except a very few) and gave them their Gestures peculiar to every kind of Bird, and where it would admit of, I have adapted the Birds to those Plants on which they fed, or have any Relation to. Fish which do not retain their Colours when out of their Element, I painted at different times, having a succession of them procur’d while the former lost their Colours: I dont pretend to have had this advantage in all, for some kinds I saw not plenty of, and of others I never saw above one or two: Reptiles will live many Months without Sustenance, so that I had no difficulty in Painting them while living.

At my return from America, in the Year 1726, I had the Satisfaction of having my Labours approved of, and was honour’d with the Advice of several of the above-mention’d Gentlemen, most skill’d in the Learning of Nature, who were pleased to think them worth Publishing, but that the Expence of Graving The process of engraving images into metal plates for printing. would make it too burthensome an Undertaking, this Opinion, from such good Judges, discouraged me from attempting it any further: And I alter’d my Design of going to Paris or Amsterdam where I at first proposed to have them done. At length by the kind Advice and Instructions of that inimitable Painter Mr. Joseph Goupy Joseph Goupy (1689–1763) was a famous French-born painter and engraver living in London who taught Catesby the art of etching., I undertook and was initiated in the way of Etching Etching: A printing technique where acid is used to carve a design into a metal plate, allowing for more fluid lines than traditional engraving. them myself, which, tho’ I may not have done in a Graver-like manner, choosing rather to omit their method of cross-Hatching A technique of shading using closely spaced parallel and intersecting lines. Catesby avoided this to better mimic the natural texture of feathers., and to follow the humour The "humour" of the feathers refers to their natural direction, flow, and texture. of the Feathers, which is more laborious, and I hope has proved more to the purpose.

The Illuminating Here meaning the hand-coloring of the printed illustrations. Natural History is so particularly Essential to the perfect understanding of it, that I may aver a clearer Idea may be conceiv’d from the Figures of Animals

original: "...rieux de mes Amis" ...interested of my Friends, and above all, as I was obliged to do, to that great Naturalist, and Patron of the Sciences, Sir Hans Sloane original: "Mr. le Chevalier Sloane". Sloane was a royal physician and collector whose massive collection formed the foundation of the British Museum., I confess that it is to his kindness that I am indebted for the success that I have had in this undertaking.

I am not a Painter by profession, so I hope that one will more easily excuse some faults of Perspective, and some other refinements of Art, where I have perhaps failed; for it seems to me that the Plants, or the other things that I have drawn exactly, although without Perspective, can be just as useful for natural history, and even more so than if they were expressed more boldly, and in a more picturesque manner: I have always drawn the Plants while quite fresh, and at the moment they were just gathered: and the Animals, especially the Birds, while they were living, except for a very small number, I gave to each its proper attitude; and, as much as has been possible, I have joined the Birds to the Plants upon which they feed, or to which they have some relationship; I painted at different times (and new ones were furnished to me as the first ones could no longer serve me) the Fish which lose their colors when they are out of the water; I did not have this convenience for all, for there are some species that I found very rare, and of some I had only one or two Fish. For the Reptiles, as they live several months without eating, I found no difficulty in painting them alive.

Upon my return from America in the year 1726, I had the satisfaction of seeing my work approved, and several of those whom I have named above, very well-versed in Natural History, honored me with their Advice, and judged that my Work deserved to be published, if the expense of the engraving did not render this Undertaking too difficult. This sentiment, which came from such good Judges, discouraged me from undertaking anything further, and I gave up the Design of going to Paris or Amsterdam...