English Zoologist and first taxidermist of the Zoological Society of London with headquarters at the British Museum, Gould's chief interest proved to be in ornithology and throughout his productive years, 1832-1881, 41 large folio volumes on birds containing nearly 4,000 hand colored plates were published by him. He spent two years in Australia going there in 1838 with his wife, who was also his artist. Soon after this he was elected a corresponding member of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia hence his later interest in this institution. Through his brother Edward Wilson in London, Thomas Bellerby Wilson purchased the Gould collection of Australian birds presenting it to the Academy in 1847. Gould had previously offered to sell the birds to the British Museum but the trustees refused because of lack of funds. Gould visited America in 1857 and while at the Academy made a pencil sketch of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo which we still have. This sketch along with a large scale watercolor design for a humingbird plate, various letters and notes is combined with a copy of a workbook of John Gould's to complete our collection.

The workbook contains letters and sketches of birds, various notes from ornithologists and news clippings and general information. It carries on the spine this title, “Insessores, Vol. 5 - Fringillidae - Pars!” Henry Sothern, ltd, who offered this workbook for sale described it as “evidently used in the preparation of The Birds of Great Britain, published 1862-1873”. 166 pages. The volume was set up originally by John Gould, each page being devoted to one species and on that page, synonyms, the biography concerned, the information he had from others and sketches were added making quite a heterogeneous presentation. At the back of the volume is a 32 page “Index to G. R. Gray's Arrangement of the Trochilidae” in the hand of Gould. The workbook contains manuscript notes of several other unidentified persons.

Six species of birds were pictured in this workbook by Gould, namely the Chafinch, Fringilla celebes Linn, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Green finch and Mealy redpoll. A seventh colored sketch was done by John Gatcombe at the request of Mr. Gould.