This volume represents a series of numbered sheets, continuing to no. 385, but with a great many gaps. Each sheet was repaired and the full gathering bound by a former librarian. Each carries a watercolor of a bird, the drawings seemingly copied from Alexander Wilson's American Ornithology. The volume was originally labeled: “Wilson's original drawings” but this note lightly crossed out and in the hand of E. J. Nolan another note “Not Wilson's drawings” inserted. Again below the original notation is a statement in the hand of Witmer Stone: “Not so - only copies from his work.”

At top of each sheet a penciled rough statement refers the bird to Wilson's work, giving volume and page, with the number of the bird in Peale's Museum added. This information likewise copied from Wilson's book, where it is found at the head of each description. This chirography has not been identified, but is supposedly that of a member of the Spackman family who prepared or at least owned the leaves.

Also for most species, a printed label carries a number, followed by the word Order and number, then the common name in English, the Latin name and the French name. These labels may be those supplied by some dealer when specimens were purchased or they may be cut from some early book. On all sheets, in a hand identified by R. M. de Schauensee as that of Jules Verreaux of Paris is information in box form, which includes the scientific name, bibliographic reference to Latham's work on birds, with page number, species, genus, and order numbers. De Schauensee says this is characteristic of Jules Verreaux as exemplified by labels in the bird collection.

Finally on many, but not all leaves is information added in yet another hand, giving the common French name and a reference to the volume and page in Vieillot where the bird is described. In the same hand is often an extended description in French. This writing is unidentified.

The book is assigned to the Spackman Family because on the back of leaf 97 is a bill to Mr. Spackman (with the names of Catherine Spackman and Joseph Spackman in the margin) for various items pertaining to an ornithologist's needs, a case with drawers, gun box, and five differently priced Stands, totaling $67.00. It is receipted by Benjamin Taylor. Unfortunately the only date is Oct. 30th.

The handwriting of several early workers in ornithology was examined for possible identification, but it is not Vieillot, the French scientist, nor any of the following Americans, Alex. Wilson, T. B. Wilson, John Cassin, Wm. Gambel.