Tuesday, July 22, 2014

New Title


1) Callahan, David (edited by Dominic Mitchell). A History of Birdwatching in 100 Objects. 2014. Bloomsbury. Hardbound: 222 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S.
PUBLISHER'S SUMMARY: This book looks at 100 items that have profoundly shaped how people watched, studied and engaged with the avian world. Each item contains around 500 words on a double-page spread and include an illustration of the object in question. The book includes the objects listed below as well as many more.The range of items is international and cross-cultural. Subjects include:
     An Egyptian 'field guide' [early tomb decorations of birds, identifiable as species]
Ornithologiae libri tres: the first British bird guide [a 1676 publication that attempted to itemise all British birds known at the time]
The Dodo specimen held at the Horniman museum
Systema Naturae by Carl Linnaeus [the first-ever system of scientific names in 1758, and still the international standard today]
The shotgun
The book, The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne by Gilbert White [1789]
HMS Beagle [the ship on which Darwin made his ground-breaking discoveries]
Aluminium bird rings [used to record movement and longevity of individuals and species]
along with many more modern innovations including walkie talkies, pagers, radio tags and apps.  
RECOMMENDATION: Birders with an interest in the history of birding will want this book.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.