Elizabeth in Australia

Swift Lorikeet (Lathamus discolor)
Current name: Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor)
John Gould. The Birds of Australia. v.5, pl. 47 1840-1848
Australian Museum Research Library

Elizabeth Gould accompanied her husband on a field trip to Australia between 1838 and 1840 and spent much of her time illustrating the native plants, many of which appear as backgrounds in the final bird plates. Elizabeth 's original watercolour of the White Gum Blossom (Eucalyptus gibbosus) was probably done during her stay at Government House in Tasmania. Elizabeth later redrew the White Gum Blossom for the folio plate of the Swift Lorikeet (Birds of Australia) but uses a slightly different version of her drawing.

"I had the pleasure of seeing the lady at her pencil, and was surprised at the rapidity of her execution."
Charles Wilkes NSW 1839