Alexander Lawson and Alexander Wilson formed a lasting friendship in Philadelphia in 1798. When Wilson approached Lawson in March of 1804 with his intention to publish his ornithological studies and drawings, Lawson hesitated with taking on the engraving on the grounds that it was too expensive for Wilson to handle. Not to be discouraged, Wilson showed up at Lawson's house with a copper plate that he intended to etch himself. He had Lawson ground the plate, and asked for an etching needle. Lawson narrates that the next day Wilson bounded into the room exclaiming that he had finished the plate and wished to bite it with the aqua fortis immediately. The result was displeasing to him, and Wilson knew he would have to hire a professional engraver. A few months later Wilson found a publisher to assist with his undertaking, and Lawson agreed to engrave the plates. It was for the ornithology that Lawson engraved the best plates, and he contributed to the continuation of this work by Charles Lucien Bonaparte, after Wilson's death.

Alexander Wilson was forty years old when he left teaching to try to scientifically classify and accurately describe and draw all the species of birds in America. His plan called for a ten-volume work to be sold by subscription for $120 a set. Samuel Bradford, a Philadelphia publisher, agreed to bring out one volume, and to continue the series if Wilson could secure 200 subscribers in the strength of that sample. Volume one, with 10 colored plates, appeared in the fall of 1808. With this in hand Wilson set out through the northeastern states, signing up subscribers. The southern trip that followed was more successful. With the encouragement of President Thomas Jefferson, Wilson signed up 250 subscribers and collected specimens to be pictured in later volumes. After the publication of volume 2, Wilson brought the total of subscribers to more than 450. The third volume appeared in 1811, and the fourth only 7 months later; both were in editions of 500 copies.