The Mammals of Australia
Encyclopedia
The Mammals of Australia is a three volume work written and published by John Gould
between 1845–63. It contains 182 illustrations by the author and its artist H. C. Richter
. It was intended to be a complete survey of the novel species of mammal
s, such as the marsupial
s, discovered in the colonies of Australia
.
During his short stay he made observations on the natural history and employed his skills as a taxidermist to obtain specimens.
s, such as Dibbler
(Parantechinus apicalis), which were later recommended by authorities.
. (The contribution by Elizabeth Gould was uncredited). These were hand-coloured by a group of artists, led by Gabriel Bayfield, that required the completion of 26,572 plates. The illustrations produced during their visit to Australia were supplemented by the preserved specimens returned to England
and detailed the characteristics of the species. These illustrations have become iconic images of the mammals of Australia
. Among the best known of the illustrations from the work are the two of Thylacinus cynocephalus (Tasmanian tiger), copied since its publication and the most frequently reproduced, made more recognizable by Cascade Brewery
's appropriation for its label in 1987. The government of Tasmania published a monochromatic reproduction of the same image in 1934, the author Louisa Anne Meredith
also copied it for Tasmanian Friends and Foes (1881).
s), and, with Rodentia in the third, it formed the sum of known mammalian species of Australia. With the addition of those contained in the later Introduction the total of species described reached 166. The same work notes the exclusion of marine mammals such as whales from the volumes, but reprints a manuscript by Charles Coxen
on the Dugong
.
Beyond the scientific value of this comprehensive survey, the document is cited in reference to its subject's conservation. Some of the species included in the work, such as Onychogalea lunata (Crescent Nailtail wallaby), have since succumbed to changes in land use since European colonisation.
The work was received with acclaim, but the high cost of production, especially of the coloured plates, reduced its accessibility. The original listed price was £41 for the complete set of volumes. The public curiosity for the unique fauna of Australia was met by this handsomely illustrated and comprehensive survey, and it spawned imitations in Australia. The curator of the Australian Museum
, Gerard Krefft
, produced the more affordable The Mammals of Australia (1871); intended for educational purposes and influenced by Gould's illustrations. Gracius Broinowski
's abandoned work, Birds and Mammals of Australia (1884), so closely imitated the plates that an injunction was threatened by its publisher.
John Gould
John Gould was an English ornithologist and bird artist. The Gould League in Australia was named after him. His identification of the birds now nicknamed "Darwin's finches" played a role in the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection...
between 1845–63. It contains 182 illustrations by the author and its artist H. C. Richter
Henry Constantine Richter
Henry Constantine Richter was a zoological illustrator.Richter was employed by John Gould to assist with the illustrations of his zoological works after the death of Gould's wife Elizabeth...
. It was intended to be a complete survey of the novel species of mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s, such as the marsupial
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
s, discovered in the colonies of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Author
The author, John Gould, best known for The Birds of Australia and other major works of ornithology, visited Australia in 1838. In his introduction, Gould says:It was not until I arrived in the country, and found myself surrounded by objects as strange as if I had been transported to another planet, that I conceived the idea of devoting a portion of my attention to the mammalian class of its extraordinary fauna.
During his short stay he made observations on the natural history and employed his skills as a taxidermist to obtain specimens.
First Survey
The publication of this major work by Gould followed his A Monograph of the Macropodidae or Family of Kangaroos in 1841. This work was the first comprehensive survey of Australian mammals, and gave an account of their classification and description. Gould also included the indigenous names for the species from the lists he made while in Australia. He used these names to make requests of the local peoples for his specimens, and recorded the regions where the names were used. This conserved a number of common nameCommon name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
s, such as Dibbler
Dibbler
Dibbler is the common name for Parantechinus apicalis, an endangered species of marsupial. It is an inhabitant of the southwest mainland of Western Australia and some offshore islands. It is a member of the Dasyuromorphia order, and the only member of the genus, Parantechinus...
(Parantechinus apicalis), which were later recommended by authorities.
Artwork
The large lithographs reproduced the artwork of Richter, after the drawings and watercolours made in Australia by Gould and his wife, ElizabethElizabeth Gould (illustrator)
Elizabeth Gould was a British artist and illustrator, married to naturalist John Gould. She produced many illustrations for his ornithological works....
. (The contribution by Elizabeth Gould was uncredited). These were hand-coloured by a group of artists, led by Gabriel Bayfield, that required the completion of 26,572 plates. The illustrations produced during their visit to Australia were supplemented by the preserved specimens returned to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and detailed the characteristics of the species. These illustrations have become iconic images of the mammals of Australia
Fauna of Australia
The fauna of Australia consists of a huge variety of animals; some 83% of mammals, 89% of reptiles, 90% of fish and insects and 93% of amphibians that inhabit the continent are endemic to Australia...
. Among the best known of the illustrations from the work are the two of Thylacinus cynocephalus (Tasmanian tiger), copied since its publication and the most frequently reproduced, made more recognizable by Cascade Brewery
Cascade Brewery
Cascade Brewery is the oldest continually operating brewery in Australia. It is based in South Hobart, Tasmania. The Cascade estate was founded beside the clean water of the Hobart Rivulet in 1824 by Peter Degraves, an entrepreneur who emigrated from England...
's appropriation for its label in 1987. The government of Tasmania published a monochromatic reproduction of the same image in 1934, the author Louisa Anne Meredith
Louisa Anne Meredith
Louisa Anne Meredith , also known as Louisa Anne Twamley, was an Anglo/Australian writer and illustrator.-Biography:...
also copied it for Tasmanian Friends and Foes (1881).
Subscription format
The Mammals of Australia was published by subscription in the format Imperial Folio; 13 parts in three volumes were issued from 1845 until 1863. To these the author added An Introduction to The Mammals of Australia (1863) in a separate work. This provided corrections and updates, a new preface, introduction, and a list of the mammals of the three volumes. The first two volumes were complete surveys of orders 'Marsupiata' (MarsupialMarsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
s), and, with Rodentia in the third, it formed the sum of known mammalian species of Australia. With the addition of those contained in the later Introduction the total of species described reached 166. The same work notes the exclusion of marine mammals such as whales from the volumes, but reprints a manuscript by Charles Coxen
Charles Coxen
Charles Coxen was an Australian naturalist and politician. He was a brother-in-law of John Gould who had married his sister Elizabeth....
on the Dugong
Dugong
The dugong is a large marine mammal which, together with the manatees, is one of four living species of the order Sirenia. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest modern relative, Steller's sea cow , was hunted to extinction in the 18th century...
.
Beyond the scientific value of this comprehensive survey, the document is cited in reference to its subject's conservation. Some of the species included in the work, such as Onychogalea lunata (Crescent Nailtail wallaby), have since succumbed to changes in land use since European colonisation.
The work was received with acclaim, but the high cost of production, especially of the coloured plates, reduced its accessibility. The original listed price was £41 for the complete set of volumes. The public curiosity for the unique fauna of Australia was met by this handsomely illustrated and comprehensive survey, and it spawned imitations in Australia. The curator of the Australian Museum
Australian Museum
The Australian Museum is the oldest museum in Australia, with an international reputation in the fields of natural history and anthropology. It features collections of vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, as well as mineralogy, palaeontology, and anthropology...
, Gerard Krefft
Gerard Krefft
Johann Ludwig Gerard Krefft , one of Australia's first and greatest zoologists and palaeontologists. In addition to many scientific papers, his books include The Snakes of Australia, A Catalogue of the Minerals and Rocks in the Australian Museum and A Short Guide to the Australian Fossil Remains...
, produced the more affordable The Mammals of Australia (1871); intended for educational purposes and influenced by Gould's illustrations. Gracius Broinowski
Gracius Joseph Broinowski
Gracius Joseph Broinowski was an Australian artist and ornithologist. He was born at the village of Walichnowy in central Poland, the son of a landowner and military officer. He studied languages, classics and art at Munich University...
's abandoned work, Birds and Mammals of Australia (1884), so closely imitated the plates that an injunction was threatened by its publisher.
External links
- Mammals of Australia / National Library of Australia collection copy of the published work
- National Library of Australia collection copy of key plates (or pattern plates) - digitised
- Introduction to The Mammals of Australia / National Library of Australia collection copy