Pygmy Opossum, Didelphis pygmaeus

This hand-coloured engraving was created by James Sowerby for George Shaw's (1751-1813) Zoology of New Holland Vol. 1. A prominent naturalist, Shaw helped to establish the Linnaean Society of London, was a member of the Royal Society and worked as a keeper in the natural history department of the British Museum. He was one of the scientists to famously express disbelief at the first platypus specimen to circulate in London, writing, "Of all the Mammalia yet known it seems the most extraordinary in its conformation" (Naturalist's Miscellany, Vol. X, 1799.) Despite the title's suggestion to the contrary, Zoology was a single volume work which started life as a joint publication with A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland by Sir John Edward Smith, also illustrated by Sowerby. However, only two parts of this joint publication were issued before it was abandoned. Plates published in the two parts were re-issued as part of the separate works on Australian zoology and botany. Published in 1794, Zoology of New Holland was the first book devoted to Australian fauna and importantly described two new species. Neither Shaw nor Sowerby had visited Australia, but worked from pickled specimens and dried skins sent home to England for the scientific community to examine, illustrate and describe. Given this situation, their work has surprising accuracy. The zoological subject matter is unusual for Sowerby, who more commonly depicted botanical and geological specimens. Designated a Pygmy Opossum by Shaw, the species is now known as a Feathertail Glider or Acrobates pygmaeus.