A selection of traditional bird illustrations taken from
"The Naturalist's Library" by Sir William Jardine.
Jardine made
natural history available to all levels of
Victorian society by editing and issuing the hugely popular forty volumes of
The Naturalist's Library(1833-1843). The 40 volumes is divided into four main sections:
Ornithology (14 volumes),
Mammalia (13 volumes),
Entomology (7 volumes), and
Ichthyology (6 volumes); each prepared by a leading naturalist.
James Duncan wrote the insect volumes. The artists responsible for the illustrations included
Edward Lear. The work was published in Edinburgh by W.H Lizars. The frontispiece is a portrait of
LatreilleJardine's other publications included an edition of
Gilbert White's
Natural History of Selborne which re-established White's reputation,
Illustrations of Ornithology (1825-43), and an affordable edition of
Alexander Wilson's
Birds of America.
(Wikipedia)