Soffer Ornithology Collection Notes (alphabetical by author)

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I

The Ibis, a magazine of general ornithology, Vols. I-III, 1859-1861. Edited by P. L. Sclater (1829-1913)

The Ibis, a magazine of general ornithology. Vol. IV, 1862.  Edited by P. L. Sclater (1829-1913

The Ibis, a quarterly journal of ornithology, Third Series Vol. V. 1875. Edited by O. Salvin.

The Ibis, a quarterly journal of ornithology    Third Series, Vol. VI, 1876. Edited by O. Salvin

The Ibis, a quarterly journal of ornithology, Fifth Series, Vol. I. 1883. Edited by Philip Lutley Sclater [1829-1913] and Howard Saunders [1835-1907])

The Ibis, a quarterly journal of ornithology, 1884   Fifth Series. Vol. II.  1884.   Edited by Philip Lutley Sclater [1829-1913] and Howard Saunders [1835-1907]).

The Ibis, a quarterly journal of ornithology  Sixth Series. Vol. II.  1890.  Edited by Philip Lutley Sclater [1829-1913]).

The Ibis  a quarterly journal of ornithology. Sixth Series. Vol. IV.  1892.  Edited by Philip Lutley Sclater [1829-1913]).

The Ibis  a quarterly journal of 0rnithology  Seventh Series, Vol. IV, 1898.  Eds. Sclater, Philip Lutley (1829-1913),

The Ibis, a quarterly journal of ornithology Eighth series Vol. III. 1903

The Ibis, selected issues, 1904-1908 comprising " On a further collection of birds from the Efulen district of Cameroon" by R.(ichard Bowdler Sharpe (1842-1909).

Illinois, Ornithological lists, 1855-1917

Ingersoll, Ernest (1852-1946). A history of nests and eggs of American birds

Irby, L(eonard) Howard L(loyd) (1836-1905). The ornithology of the straits of Gibralter.

Iredale, Tom (1880-1972). Birds of New Guinea.

Iredale, Tom (1880-1972). Birds of paradise and bower birds.

Irwin, Raymond. British bird books: an index to British ornithology.


  Ibis, The(Volumes I-III)

The ibis, / a magazine of general ornithology  Three volumes  21.2 x13.2 cm.  Edited by Philip Lutley Sclater (1829-1913).  Half brown calf and marbled boards.  Spine with four raised bands, black morocco labeling piece with gilt lettering in second compartment, gilt labeling in fourth compartment.  Marbled endpapers.  Marbled edges.  London, N. Trübner and Co., 1859-1861.  Printed by Taylor & Francis.

Vol. I.  1859. [A]8B-H8I2K-Y8Z42A22B-2K82L6(-2L6)[$1, 2 signed]; 253 ll.  Pp. [i-iii]iv-xv[xvi][1]2-490.  i, Title; ii, printer designation, Taylor & Francis; iii, preface dated by Sclater Oct. 1859; vii, list of members of BOU (20!); ix, contents of vol. I; xv, errata; xvi, list of plates I-XV; 1, No. I. January, 1859l 117, No. II. April, 1859; 213, No. III. July, 1859; 337, No. IV. October, 1859; 475, index of names of authors; 479,  generic alphabetical specific index; 490, printer designation.  Plates I-XV are designated in the list but this copy lacks III, X, XIV.  Of the 12 hand-colored lithographed plates that are present, five are designated J. Wolf, del.  M. & N. Hanhart, Imp; four are designated John Jennens del et lith  Stannard & Dixon (printers) including one of eggs; two are designated W. C. Hewitson del & lith  Hullmandel & Walton, both of eggs; and one is designated P. Oudart del  Imp Lemercier, Paris.

Vol. II.  1860.  [A]8B-G8H4I-O8P2(-P2)Q-X8Y4Z22Z82A-2G82H2[$1, 2 signed; 229 ll.  Pp. [i-iii]iv-xv[xvi][1]2-442.  i, title; ii, printer designation; iii, preface dated by Sclater Oct 1st, 1860; v, list of members (20) of BOU; vi, blank; vii, list of honorary (foreign) members (10) of BOU; viii, blank; ix, contents of vol. II; xv, errata; xvi, list of plates I-XV; 1, No. V. January, 1860; 105, No. VI. April, 1860; 203, No. VII. July, 1860; 311, No. VIII. October, 1860; 432, generic alphabetical specific index; 442, printer designation.  Contains hand-colored lithographed plates I-XV.  Of these, 10, including three of eggs, were drawn and lithographed by Jennens and printed by Stannard & Dixon, M. &. N. Hanhart, or Hullmandel & Walton; three were drawn and lithographed by Wolf and printed by Hanhart; one of eggs was drawn and lithographed by Hewitson and printed by Hullmandel & Walton; and one was drawn and lithographed by E. Salvin and printed by Hanhart.

Vol. III.  1861.  [A]8B-H8I4K-2D82E-2F42G2[$1, 2 signed]; 222 ll.  Pp.  [i-ix]x-xiv[xv](1)[1]2-427(1).  i, Title; ii, printer designation; iii, prefaced dated by Sclater Oct 1st, 1861; iv, blank; v, list of members (20) of BOU; vi, blank; vii, list of honorary (foreign) members (10) of BOU; viii, blank; ix, contents of vol. III; xiv, erratum; xv, list of plates I-XIII; 1, No. IX. January, 1861; 121, No. X.  April, 1861; 217, No. XI.  July, 1861; 313, No. XII. October, 1861; 417, generic alphabetical specific index; 427, printer designation.  Of plates I-XIII designated in list, plate V is lacking in this copy and plate VI has had the artist’s and printer’s names trimmed.  Amongst the other 11 plates, five were drawn and lithographed by Jennens and printed by Hanhart; two were drawn and lithographed by Hewitson and printed by Hullmandel & Walton; Three were drawn by Wolf, of which two were lithographed by him and one was lithographed by Jennens,  All three were printed by Hanhart; and one was drawn and lithographed by J. Jury and printed by Hanhart.

Although preceded by some German periodicals (Ornis, Naumannia, Journal für Ornithologie), The Ibis , The Journal of the British Ornithological Union, is among the earliest and longest running journals devoted exclusively to ornithology.  It is arguably the most historically important.  The format for its content was established in these early issues and most of the nineteenth century articles were devoted to descriptions of newly discovered, exciting and exotic birds, with a smattering of drier taxonomic material.  The letters and book reviews began with the very first issue and have always remained interesting and compelling.  These first three volumes are filled with descriptions of  exotic avifauna by historically significant figures such as Sclater, Salvin, Tristram, Newton and A. R. Wallace to name a few.  Interestingly, Wallace, who was traveling in southeast Asia at the time The BOU was formed, was made an honorary member, a designation otherwise reserved for foreigners.  A five-page letter from Wallace to Sclater concerning the geographical distribution of birds was a particularly interesting and important contribution that appeared in the first volume.

The exclusion of John Gould from the BOU was about as great an injustice as could occur in ornithological circles.  Gould was in his middle fifties and at the zenith of his extraordinary career at the time of formation of the BOU.  His contributions and reputation were far greater than any of the original members, but the Union was the product of clique at Cambridge and Gould was the son of a gardener and largely self taught.  It is noteworthy that it was Gould whom Darwin selected to analyze and describe the birds of the "Voyage of the Beagle".

 


 

Ibis, The  (edited by Philip Lutley Sclater [1829-1913])

The Ibis, / a magazine of general ornithology  Vol. IV.  1862.  21.8 x 14.2 cm.  [A]8B-N8O2P-2D8[$1 signed]; 210 ll.  Pp.  [i-ix]x-xiv[xv](1)[1]2-404.  Contemporary half-blue morocco and blue boards, spine with five raised band, gilt lettering in second, fourth and fifth compartments; Blue marbled endpapers; TEG, others uncut.  Bookplate of Cedric and Violet Walter on front flyleaf.  Lonodn, N. Trübner and Co., 1862. 

i, title with wood-engraved Ibis logo; ii, printer designation: Taylor and Francis, London; iii, preface by Sclater; iv, blank; v, list of members of British Ornithologists' Union; vi, blank; vii, list of honorary members; viii, blank; ix, contents of Vol. IV; xiv, errata; xv, list of plates;  1, No. XIII, January 1862; text articles; 72, recent ornithological publications; 88, correspondence, announcements; 97, No. XIV.  April 1862; 197, No. XV.  July 1862;   309, No. XVI, October1862; 393, index of Latin bird names; 404, printer designation.  Contains hand-colored lithographic plates I, 3, IV-XIII (lacking II) printed by M. & N. Hanhart after J. Wolf (7) and J. Jennens (5).  Also contains two uncolored wood-engraved text illustrations.

This is the fourth volume or what is probably the most influential of all ornithological journals that started in 1859 as the official publication of the newly formed British Ornithologists' Union.  Almost every article seems of special interest.  An article by J. H. Blasius, translated from Naumannia of 1858, reflects his support of Gätke's claims concerning the birds of Heligoland, which were initially ignored or derided.  There is an early contribution by Swinhoe on Chinese birds and one from Wallace "On some new birds from the northern Moluccas" and a most intriguing contribution by George C. Taylor, " Five weeks in the peninsula of Florida during the spring of 1861 withnotes on the birds observed there."  Amongst the birds he saw and discusses are the (Carolina) Parakeet and Ivory-billed Woodpecker.  Some of the subjects of the book reviews are the the last volume of the Naumann octavo, Gould's Hummingbirds and a part of Elliot's Pittas.

Anker, #219.  Every major ornithological collection has some or all volumes of this journal.

 


 

The Ibis, / A / Quarterly Journal of Ornithology Third Series  Vol. V. 1875 Ed. Salvin, O.  21.5 x 14.3 cm. [A]8 B-K8 L2 M-S8T4U2   X-2D8 2E4 2F2 (-2F2)2G-2O8 2P2 2Q8 (-2Q8)[$1,2 signed]; 278 ll.  Pp. [i-v]vi-ix[x-xi]xii-xiv[xv-xvi][1]2-540.  Contemporary half calf and marbled boards.  Edges speckled red.  London, Van Voorst, 1875.  

Title, i; preface, iii; BOU membership, v; contents, xi; list of plates, xv; errata, xvi; text, 1; index, 527. Contains hand-colored lithographic plates I-X, drawn and lithographed by J. G. Keulemans (8) and J. Smit (2) and printed by Hanhart.

As usual, the list of contributors to this volume of The Ibis represents the uppermost tier of contemporary ornithologists.  Articles include several by Sharpe for his “Contributions to a History of the Accipitres”; Lord Lilford’s “Cruise of the ‘Zara’”; a part of the ornithological section of Severtzoff’s “Fauna of Turkestan”, the translation of which was arranged by Dresser; articles by Swinhoe on Chinese and Japanese ornithology; by Shelley on African ornithology; by Legge on some birds from Ceylon; and a report by John Cordeaux on Gätke’s collection in Heligoland.  This latter is the first major piece written in English about the Gätke collection.

Trinity, p. 126; Wood, p. 396; Yale, p. 142; Zimmer, p. 704.

 

Ibis, the

 The Ibis, / A / Quarterly journal of  ornithology  Third Series Vol. VI. 1876 Ed. Salvin, O.  21.8 x 13.8.  [A]8B-I8K4L-2B82C42D2[-2D2]2E-2L82M42N8a4b4[-b4][$1,2 signed]; 276 ll.  Pp. [i-v]vi-xiv[xv-xvi][1]2-522[i]ii-xiv.  Original “Ibis” covers, pebbled red cloth with blind frames on upper cover enclosing gilt ibis, gilt lettering to spine.  Yellow endpapers (upper loose endpaper lacking).  Red speckled edges.  London, Van Voorst, 1876.

i, Title; iii, preface; v, BOU membership; xi, contents; xv, list of plates; xvi, errata and corrigenda; 1, text; 509, generic index; i-xiv, general index to The Ibis, 1871-1876. Contains hand-colored lithographed plates I-XIV printed by Hanhart, 12 after JG Keulemans depicting one or two birds each and two after C. J. Fleming depicting eggs.

 


Ibis, The  (edited by Philip Lutley Sclater [1829-1913] and Howard Saunders '1835-1907])

The Ibis, / a / quarterly journal of ornithology  Vol I. 1883.  Fifth Series.  21.4 x 14.0. [a]8b4(-b4)B-I8K2L-Q8R4(-R4)S-2D82E22F-2R8, 2T8[$1, 2 signed, 2S signature miswritten as 2T]; 314 ll.  Pp. [i-iii]iv-xx[xxi-xxii][1]2-605(1). Contemporary gilt-ruled half-red calf and red boards.  Spine with five double gilt-ruled raised bands, gilt lettering in second and fourth compartments, gilt design in others.  Pink marbled endpapers.  TEG.  London, John Van Voorst, 1883. 

i, Title with Ibis logo; ii, printer's imprint: Taylor and Francis, London; iii, preface; v, British Ornithologists' Union, membership list (including extra-ordinary, honorary  and foreign members); xii, blank; xiii, contents of Vol. I.; XXI, list of plates; XXII, corrigenda; 1, Fifth Series. No. I. January 1883.; text articles; 97, recent ornithological publications; 119, letters and announcements; 133, No. II. April 1883.; 235, No. III.  July 1883.; 399, No. IV.  October 1883.; 585, index of Latin names; 605, printer designation.  Contains hand-colored lithographic plates I-XIV printed by Hanhart imp after J. G. Keulemans (12) and J. Smit (2).  Also contains uncolored text engraving figure 1, a text map, and a folded, unpaginated table of the distribution of African Picidae.

The late 19th century was the golden age of descriptive ornithology and the involved personalities become alive in these pages, particularly in the book reviews and the correspondence.  In this volume, Elliot's Hornbills is reviewed, the last journal of W. A. Forbes, who died in Africa at age 28, is published verbatim, the antipathy of Dresser and Seebohm is publicly exhibited, and much original ornithology is presented.  Goldie's bird of paradise of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands is illustrated by Keulemans and described by Salvin and Godman who quote letters from Andrew Goldie extensively and provide the Latin name Paradisea decora.  There is also a monograph " On the woodpeckers of the Ethiopian region" by E. Hargitt who wrote the section on this family for the Catalogue of birds in the British Museum.


The Ibis, / a / quarterly journal of ornithology  21.3 x 13.9 cm.  Vol. II.  1884.  Fifth Series. Edited by Philip Lutley Sclater [1829-1913] and Howard Saunders [1835-1907])

The Ibis, / a / quarterly journal of ornithology  21.3 x 13.9 cm.  Vol. II.  1884.  Fifth Series.  [a]8b4(-b4)B-H8I4K2L-P8Q4R2S-2C82D22E-2K82L42M22N-2O42P2(-2P2)a2-b24c4[$1 signed]; 268 ll.  Pp.  [i-v]vi-xx[xxi](1)[1]2-489(1)[i2]ii2-xxiv.  Contemporary half-red calf with red board sides.  Spine with five double gilt-ruled raised bands, gilt lettering in second and fourth compartments, gilt designs in others.  Pink marbled endpapers.  TEG.  London, John Van Voorst, 1884.

  i, Title with Ibis logo; ii, printer's imprint, Taylor and Francis, London; iii, preface; iv blank; v, British Ornithologists' Union  1884 (membership list); xiii, contents of Vol. II.; xxi, list of plates; 1, Fifth Series. No. V.  January 1884.; text articles; 101, recent ornithological publications; 114, letters, announcements, etc; 124, No. VI.  April 1884.; 217, No. VII.  July 1884.; 365, No. VIII.  October 1884.; 471, index of Latin names; 489, printer designation; i2, general index to The Ibis, 1877-1882; xxiv, printer designation.  Contains hand-colored lithographic plates I-XIV printed by Hanhart imp after J. G. Keulemans (11) and J. Smit (3).

Historical figures in these volumes seem almost as vivid as the birds they describe.  In this volume, we see an erudite, critical, and slightly paranoid Count Salvadori as he annihilates volumes eight and nine of the Catalogue of the birds in the British Museum and particularly their author, Hans Gadow.  Poor Gadow is also a target for Canon Tristram, known by his colleagues as the "Sacred Ibis".  Articles of particular interest include Abel Chapman's "Rough notes on Spanish ornithology", Przewalski's "Birds of northern Tibet" and one by Frank B. Simpson on the pink-headed duck that captures the ambiance of the Raj most vividly.  As usual, the beautiful hand-colored lithographs are a great asset.  I can imagine that ornithologists awaited their quarterly issues of The Ibis with great anticipation.


Ibis, The  (edited by Philip Lutley Sclater [1829-1913])

The Ibis, / a / quarterly journal of ornithology  21.5 x 14.0.  Vol. II.  1890.  Sixth Series.  [a]8b4B-I8K2L-S8T4U2X-2D82E42F22G-2K82L42M82N4 [$1,2 signed]; 258 ll.  Pp.  [i-iii]iv-xxii[xxiii](1)[1]2-491(1).  Contemporary blue-green half morocco with blue-green cloth sides.  Spine with five raised bands, gilt lettering in second and third comartments.  Marbled endpapers.  TEG.  Bookplate of P. J. Moors on upper pastedown.  London, Gurney and Jackson (successors to J. VanVoors), 1890.

  i, Title with Ibis logo;  ii, printer's imprint: Taylor and Francis, London; iii, preface; v, British Ornithologists' Union. 1890 (membership list); xv, contents of Vol. II.-Sixth Series; xxiii, list of plates; 1, Sixth Series.  No. V.  January 1890.; text articles; 108, recent ornithological publications; 124, letters etc.; 133, No. VI.  April 1890.; 273, No. VII.  July 1890.; 397, No. VIII. October 1890.; 471, index of scientific names; 485, index of contents, 1890; 491, printer designation; Contains hand-colored lithographic plates I-XIV, printed by Mintern Bros. imp (13), Hanhart imp (1) after J. G. Keulemans (13) and F. W. Frohawk (1).  Also contains 33 uncolored text woodcuts enumerated separately in various articles.

Noteworthy articles include "On the ornithology of northern Borneo" by Sharpe and Whitehead and "On some of the birds of the Sandwich Islands" by Scott Wilson.  The latter comprises initial observations that ultimately led to Wilson's great work, Avifauna Hawaiiensis  (1890-1899).  There is also a review of the first two parts of Nehrling's North American Birds.


The Ibis (Sclater, Philip Lutley, Editor [1829-1913])

The Ibis / A / Quarterly Journal of Ornithology   22.4 x 14.5 cm.  Original printed brown wrappers.  Uncut.  London, Gurney and Jackson, 1892.  Vol. IV.  No.s 13-16/

No. 13.  January.  πB-N8[$1, 2 signed]; 97 ll.  Pp.  (2)[1]2-192.  π1r-π1v, officers and publications of the British Ornithologists' Union; 1-192, text.  Contains plates I-IV, hand-colored lithographs by and after Keulemans and printed by Mintern Bros. 

No. 14.   April.  πO-Z8; 81ll. Pp.  (2)[193]194-352.  π, BOU information as above; 193-352, text.  Contains plates V-VII as above.  Also contains an initial unnumbered leaf of tissue with letter-press entitled "The Norwich Museum Desiderata"

No.  15.  July.  π2A-2G82H6; 63 ll.  Pp.  (2)[352]354-476.  π, BOU information; 352-476, text.  Contains plates VIII-XI, uncolored text Fig.s 1, 2.

No.  16.  October.  Lacks upper wrapper.  π2K-2R82S42T2(-2T2)a8b4c2; 84ll.  Pp.  (2)[477]478-614[i-iii]iv-xxv[xxvi-xxviii].  π, BOU information; 477-582, text; 583, index of scientific names; 607, index of volume contents; i, title leaf; iii-iv, preface; vi-xvi, 1892 BOU membership list; xvii-xxv, contents of volume; xxvii, volume plates; xxviii, errata..  Contains plates XII-XIV.  Bound in at the front are two thinner and smaller leaves (but not quite tissue), pp. [i]ii-iii[iv] entitled "List of Issued Volumes of the Catalogue of Birds in the British Museum (Natural History)".  Loosely laid in is a four-page advertisement for : Birds: / The Elements / of / Onithology  by St. George Mivart which is reviewed in this number.

This volume of The Ibis is distinguished by no less than 14 fine, hand-colored lithographs by and after Keulemans.  Amongst the many interesting articles are two on Chinese birds by La Touche; two by Seebohm on Japanese birds; two by J. Sibree Jr. on the birds of Madagascar; three by Sharpe describing Frederick Jackson's collection of Eastern African birds and one by Sharpe describing Hose's collection from Borneo including the newly discovered Broadbill named by Sharpe "Hose's Broadbill" and depicted here by Keulemans.

 


The Ibis / A / Quarterly Journal of Ornithology  Seventh Series, Vol. IV, 1898.  Eds. Sclater, Philip Lutley (1829-1913), Saunders, Howard (1835-1907).  21.9 x 15.0 cm.  [a]8b8B-M8N4O-X8Y2Z-2H82I22K-2X8[$1, 2 signed]; 344 ll.  Pp. [I-iii]iv-xxix[xxx-xxxii][1]2-184[185]186-316[317]318-464[465]466-656.  Original "Ibis" binding.  Red cloth with gilt ibis on upper cover, gilt labeling on spine.  Original printed brown wrappers for the four issues bound in, each enclosing an identical leaf describing the BOU. London, Gurney  and Jackson, 1898.

i, Title; ii, printer's designation (Taylor and Francis); iii, preface; v, list of BOU members; xxi, contents; xxxi, list of plates; 1, January, 1898; 185, April; 317; July; 465, October; 629, index of scientific names; 647, index of contents.  Contains colored plates I-XIII including two chromolithographs of eggs by Pawson and Brailsford of Sheffield, and 11 hand-colored autolithographs printed by Mintern Bros. after  Keulemans (9) and William Hart (2).  Also contains an unnumbered text photograph and three unnumbered woodcut text maps.

The original Ibis binding, the scholarly articles describing exciting exotic avifaunas by the best known authorities of the era, and the beautiful and superbly produced hand-colored lithographs make this an extraordinarily attractive volume.  The arrival of each quarterly issue must have been an eagerly awaited event.

Trinity, p. 126; Wood, p. 396; Yale, p. 142; Zimmer, p. 704.


Ibis, the (Sclater, Philip Lutley and Evans, A.[rthur]H.[umble] editors)

The Ibis, / a / quarterly journal of ornithology / Vol. III. 1903 / eighth series  21.6 x 14.5 cm.  a8b-c4d2B-2E82F42G-2S82T42X22Y4[$1, 2 signed]; 352 ll.  Pp.  [i-iii]iv-xxxiv[xxxv](1)[1]2-668.  Contemporary green half-calf with machine marbled maroon board sides.  Spine with five gilt-ruled and decorated raised bands.  Red and black morocco labeling pieces in second and third compartment respectively, each with gilt lettering.  Lilford copy with gilt Lilford crest at base of spine.  Red speckled edges.  London, Gurney and Jackson, 1903.

i, Title with Ibis vignette; ii, printer's imprint: Taylor and Francis (London); iii, preface by editors; iv, British Ornithologists' Union, 1903 (list of 418 members); xxiv, blank; xxv, contents; xxxv, list of plates; 1, text, January issue; 145, text, April issue; 273, text, July issue; 441, text, October issue; 641, index of scientific names; 661, index of contents; 668, printer designation.  Contains 13 plates, I-VI, VIa, VII-XII, including eight hand-colored lithographs printed by Mintern Bros. after Keulemans (5), Goodchild (1), Grönvold (1), and Martorelli, (1); two color half-tones printed by André & Sleigh; one hand-colored lithograph after Goodchild printed by Bale & Danielsson; one uncolored lithograph by Mintern Bros. after Grönvold; and an uncolored map.  Also contains uncolored half-tone and line text figures 1-17 including three maps.

The Ibis has always been the standard for determining the status of contemporary ornithology.  It contains original articles, letters and book reviews.  Ornithology at the start of the 20th century was still very much a descriptive discipline and the articles in this volume are largely concerned with the elaboration of special structures in various species, with newly discovered species, and especially with ornithological exploration of exotic places.  A typical example of the latter is "Birds of Fernando Po" (pp.  330-403) by Boyd Alexander (1873-1910).

Of the 13 plates in this volume, nine are beautiful hand-colored lithographs.

 


 

Ibis, The

Sclater, Philip Lutley (1829-19130, Evans, A.(rthur)H.(umble)(1855-1943), Editors

The ibis, / a / quarterly journal of ornithology  22.5 x 14.5  Selected issues from 1904-1908, each including a section of a monograph On a further collection of birds from the Efulen district of Cameroon by R.(ichard Bowdler Sharpe (1842-1909).  Original printed brown wrappers, uncut, unopened.  London, R. H. Porter, 1904-1908.

 Eighth Series,Vol. IV. No. 13.  January, 1904.  Pp.  (2)[1]2-172.  Article pagination,  88-106, describing species 1-48.  The entire journal contains plates I-III including two hand-colored lithographs by Mintern Bros after Keulemans and one color half-tone of eggs by André & Sleigh Limited.

Eighth Series, Vol. IV. No. 16.  October, 1904.  Pp. (2)[485]486-701(1).  Article pagination, 591-638 describing species 1-127.  The journal contains plates X-XII including a color half-tone of eggs by André & Sleigh and two hand-colored lithographs by Mintern Bros after Grönvold and Keulemans respectively.

Eighth Series, Vol. V. No. 19.  July, 1905.  Pp.  (4)[301]302-508.  Article pagination, 461-476 describing species 1-57.  Journal contains plates VIII-IX including color half-tone by A. C. Fowler, Imp. after G. E. Lodge and hand-colored lithograph by Mintern Bros after Keulemans.  Also contains text figures 20-30.

Ninth Series, Vol. I. No. 3.  July, 1907.  Pp.  (4)[[373]374-516.  Article pagination, 416-464 describing species 1-204.  Journal contains plates VIII-X including an uncolored map of the Northern Territory of Australia and two hand-colored lithographs by Bale & Danielsson and J. Smit after Frohawk and by West, Newman Imp.  after Keulemans.  Journal also contains text figure 26.

Ninth Series, Vol. II.  No. 5.  January, 1908.  Pp.  (4)[1]2-204(2, advertisements).  Article pagination, 117-129 describing species 205-219.  Journal contains plates I-IV including an uncolored double-page map of Gazaland, two hand-colored lithographs by West Newman after Keulemans and an undesignated chromolithograph of eggs by Pitcher Ltd.  Also contains text figure 1.

Ninth Series, Vol. II.  No. 6.  April, 1908.  Pp. (4)[205]206-390(4, advertisements).  Article pagination, 317-357, species unnumbered.  Journal contains plates V-VII including a double-paged uncolored map, “Entebbe to Boma by Leonardson & Co., a color half-tone by Witherby after Lodge and a hand-colored lithograph by West, Newman after Keulemans.

The articles by Sharpe form a monograph on the birds of a part of Cameroon and represent Sharpe’s study of a collection obtained by  George Latimer Bates (1863-1940), an American who was later (1930) to publish  the highly regarded Handbook of  birds of West Africa.  Each of the six articles is illustrated with a hand-colored lithograph after Keulemans.

 

Illinois, Ornithological Lists


LeBaron, William  Observations upon some of the birds of Illinois / most interesting to the agriculturalist  22.2 x 14.6 cm.  π(later typed title sheet)704714(-714)[$1 signed]; 5, ll.  Pp.  (2)559-566. ).  Brown linen-backed gray boards from Gaylord Bros, Syracuse, N. Y.  Pasted label on upper cover.  Blind stamp  of Alvin R. Cahn on p. 559 and on title leaf. Transactions of the Illinois State Agricultural Society, I, 1855 (Springfield).

π, Later typed title sheet; 559-565, text; 566, first page of “Trial Of Implements”.

This extract contains a rare tract on the habits, especially the diets, of many Illinois birds.  Although several libraries contain the periodical, OCLC locates only one example of the specific article.


Pratten, Henry  Catalogue of the birds of Illinois  22.2 x 14.5 cm. [753-754]76-774χ[$1 signed]; 11 ll.  Pp.  597-612[i]ii-iv(2, blank).  Brown linen-backed gray boards from Gaylord Bros, Syracuse, N. Y.  Pasted label on upper cover.  Blind stamp  of Alvin R. Cahn on p. 597.  Transactions of the Illinois State Agricultural Society, I, 1855 (Springfield).

597, introduction by J. G. Norwood, State Geologist; systematic list, Cathartes Aura (sic)-Colymbus Glacialis including 184 numbered species with English and Scientific names and early synonymy; 610, mollusca of southern Illinois by H. A. Ulffers; i-iv, index to entire volume I.

This is an extract of a rare early list.  OCLC does not locate any copies of the individual article although there are libraries that contain the periodical.


Holder, R. H. Birds of Illinois / catalogue  22.2 x 14.7 cm.  π(later typed title sheet)  [703-704]714(-713-714)[$1 signed]; 5 ll.  Pp. (2. Later typed title sheet)[605]606-611(1). ).  Brown linen-backed gray boards from Gaylord Bros, Syracuse, N. Y.  Pasted label on upper cover.  Typed name of Alvin R. Cahn on title leaf. Transactions of the Illinois State Agricultural Society, IV, 1861 (Springfield).

π, Later typed title sheet; [605], introductory text; 606-613, systematic list, Cathartes Aura-Podilymbus Podiceps, unnumbered but containing 235 species according to introductory text. Scientific names are followed by English as compared with Pratten’s list.  No synonymy or original citations.

This is another rare early list of Illinois birds.  The fact that the verso of the last page of the article is blank suggests that it may be an offprint or author’s separate rather than an extract.  OCLC does not locate any examples of the specific article.


Illinois Audubon Society

The Audubon Bulletin 23.1 x 15.4 cm  Extracts, including upper wrappers of three issues bound in a single volume with brown linen-backed gray boards from Gaylord Bros, Syracuse, N. Y.  Pasted label on upper cover including title and name “A. R. Cahn.

Spring-1916  Pp.  31-36 including unnumbered list of 264 species with English names only.

Spring-1917  Pp.  57-64 including unnumbered list of 378 species with English names and some lettered and asterisked indication of intrastate distribution, nesting and status.

Winter, 1917-1918.  Pp.  39-48 including unnumbered list of 385 species with English names and some lettered and asterisked indication of intrastate distribution, nesting and status.


This interesting collection of lists of Illinois birds belonged to Alvin Robert Cahn (1892-), a Professor of Zoology at the University of Illinois.

 

Ingersoll, Ernest (1852-1946)

A / History / of / Nests and Eggs / of / American Birds  24.3 x 16.8 cm.  [1]82-108[$1 signed]; 80 ll.  Pp. [1]2-160.  Bound in late 20th century quarter-blue morocco and marbled boards.  Tan upper wrapper for parts 6 & 7 included. These display the title and publisher as well as the cost for these two parts of $1.00.  Salem, George A. Bates (1879-1882?). 

1, species descriptions.  Ends in mid sentence  of discussion of species 100,  the Yellow-breasted Chat.  Contains colored plates I-XIV of eggs, each with unpaginated guard leaf, those for plates XI-XIV containing identifying letter-press.

This is a complete copy of all that was published of this unfinished work.  The work appeared in seven parts between 1879 and 1882.  It describes in copious detail, the structure of the nests and the appearance of the eggs of 100 species of North American Passerine birds.  It also provides brief information on distribution and occasionally on other aspects life history.

The artist is not identified and may be the author.  Plates I-X are chromolithographs marked “Lith. Armstrong & Co. Riverside Press Cambridge” and “S. E. Cassino, Publisher”.  The eggs on plates I-VI are designated only by number referring to the text number of the species.  The eggs on plates VII-X are designated by number and Latin name.  Plates XI-XIV, designated “J. Meyer & Co. State St. Boston.” are chromolithographs with some hand coloring of blotches.  The eggs are designated by number only on the plates, but are also identified by Latin and English names in  letter-press on the guard sheet.  Eggs are illustrated through species 104, the last four of which are lacking from the text.

It is apparent that more than one publisher and more than one lithography firm were involved in the production of this work with the change in both probably occurring after the first five parts as deduced from information provided for the partial copies lacking these parts described in the standard bibliographies cited below.

This is quite an uncommon work.  I noticed a complete copy offered in a 1983 catalog and have been looking for another one since then (16 years).  There was a complete copy (item #402, $40) described as “excessively rare complete” in the 1923 auction of the Braislin collection.  There were two complete copies (items 271, 272, $15 and 17.50) in the 1955 sale of the Evans collection.  The copies in the major libraries listed below are all incomplete.

Bradley Martin #1619 (incomplete); Yale, p. 143 (incomplete); Zimmer, p. 318 (incomplete).  Unlisted BM(NH), Trinity, Wood.  OCLC locates 24 copies, some incomplete.

 


Irby, L(eonard) Howard L(loyd)(1836-1905)

The / Ornithology / of the / Straits of Gibralter  28.9 x 20.3 cm.  [A]4B-X8Y4(-Y4)[$1, 2 signed]; 167 ll.  Pp.  [i-viii, deduced from "contents"][1]2-326.  Original publisher's red cloth with gilt vignette of Lammergeyer on upper cover, gilt lettering on upper cover and spine.  Patterned endpapers.  Second Edition.  London, R. H. Porter, 1895. 

i, Title; ii, printer's designation, Taylor and Francis; iii, contents; iv, blank; list of illustrations; vi-vii, anatomical diagrams; viii, blank; 1, introduction; 34, systematic list; 311, appendix, list of Lepidoptera; 317, index to birds.  Contains two folding maps (southern Spain, Morocco), eight unnumbered chromolithographic plates by Wm Greve of Berlin after Archibald Thorburn and six unnumbered half-tone plates by (P?) Smit after original sketches by Major Willoughby Verner (5) and "W. F.", all not included in pagination and printed on one side only.  Also contains 19 unnumbered text figures in addition to the anatomical diagrams, mostly depicting photographs taken by Major Verner.

This work, by a career military Victorian archetype, covers 369 species recorded for Gibralter and adjacent parts of Spain and Morocco.  For each species, the author provides English, Latin, and often Spanish and Moorish names; a brief description with measurements; and a discursive variable section that comprises local distribution, dates, numbers, nidification and habits as observed by the author, by his colleague Major Verner, and by a deceased long-term French resident of Tangier(s), M. F. Favier, whose unpublished manuscript the author had purchased.

The first edition of this book was published in 1875 and lacked the pictures and text figures here present.  The author summarizes the areas that are updated on page 31 and they include the observations made by Major Willoughby as well as later literature.  There is  a list of mammals included in the introduction and the author's son was apparently the main contributor to the list of Lepidoptera included as an appendix.

The chromolithographs by Greve after Thorburn are mostly of birds of prey and are extremely handsome.  The half-tone plates were done by "Smit" after sketches of events and scenery mostly by Major Verner.  The plate after page 279 is signed "W. F." at the lower left and P. J. S. on the lower right.  The latter designates Peter J. Smit, the son of Josef Smit and, like his father, an able and successful artist.  It is not clear which Smit did the final versions of the other five half-tones after sketches by Verner.

Trinity, p. 128; Wood, p. 400; Yale, p. 145; Zimmer, p. 318.


Iredale, Tom (1880-1972)

Birds of New Guinea  Two volumes.  26.6 x 20.6 cm.  Publisher's quarter green morocco and gray-green cloth.  Flat spine with gilt lettering and bird of paradise vignette.  TEG.  Pictorial dust jacket (same for both volumes).  Melbourne, Georgian House, 1956.  An Austaliana Society publication.

Volume I  Pp.  [i-iv]v-xv(1)1-230.  i, Half-title; ii, blank; iii, title; iv, "published 1956"; credits: printed by the Griffin Press, Adelaide; v, acknowledgments; vi blank; vii, contents of volume I; xi, list of coloured plates; 1, introduction; 11, systematic accounts of higher orders and species; nonpasserine, cassowaries-swifts; 223, index of Latin names.  Contains plates after Lillian Medland printed in color half-tone on recto only with facing leaf of identifying letter-press.  Plates are enumerated I-XV in list of plates and individually on recto of letter-press sheet.  Neither plates nor letter-press are included in pagination.

Volume II  Pp.  [i-iv]v-xv(1)1-261(1). i, Half-title; ii, blank; iii, title; iv, year; credits; v, contents; xi, list of coloured plates; 1, systematic accounts of passerine birds; pittas-bower birds; 251, index; contains uncolored folding map bound at end and colored plates XVI-XXV.

Iredale was a conchologist and ornithologist who was a protégé of Gregory Mathews.  He was married to the artist, Lillian Medland, best known for her excellent plates in Charles Stonham's Birds of the British Islands (1906-1911).  When Iredale wrote this book, the only antecedent comprehensive works were those of Gould and of Salvadori from the 19th century, and Ernst Mayr's unillustrated List of New Guinea Birds (1941).  The present work was to remain the only readily available one with a large series of colored illustrations of New Guinea birds until publication of the Birds of New Guinea, by Beehler, Pratt and Zimmerman in 1986.

This work supposedly describes 650 species and illustrates 347 of them on its 35 plates. In addition, it apparently describes some new species and illustrates them and others for the first time from the original type specimens.  Unfortunately, Iredale uses a classification scheme as well as names of his own choosing that are often not those employed by others.  I learned this the hard way when I tried to use this work in preparation for a birding trip to New Guinea in 1980.  I also learned that Lillian Medland was a much better illustrator of British birds than of those of New Guinea.  The birds pictured here look as though they have just been dragged out of a museum drawer after 50 years of residence.  They are neither artistically done nor useful for purposes of identification.

Iredale, his wife, and Georgian House had previously collaborated on The birds of paradise and bower birds (1950).

Listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity, Yale.


Iredale, Tom (1880-1972)

Birds of paradise / and / bower birds  27.0 x 20.7 cm.  Pp.  (2)[i-ii]iii-xii1-239(1).  Publisher's quarter green morocco and gray-green cloth.  Gilt lettering and gilt vignette of bird of paradise on spine.  Pictorial dust jacket.  Melbourne, Georgian House, 1950.  An Australiana Society publication. 

Preliminary leaf recto: half-title; verso, blank; i, title; ii, "first published 1950"; credits: printed by The Advertiser Printing Office, Adelaide; iii, acknowledgments; iv, blank; v, contents; ix, list of coloured plates; 1, introduction; 21, rifle birds and their allies; 59, wattled birds of paradise; 67, long tails; 85, sickle bills; 99, the little king and his friends; 117, the birds of paradise; 142, the blue, the red, and white birds of paradise; 149, manucodes; 163, false birds of paradise; 173, bower birds; 187, gardeners; 199, cat birds; 209, satin bower birds; 214, true bower birds; 227, check list; 233, bibliography; list of principal writers and explorers.  Contains folding, uncolored map of New Guinea bound at rear and plates printed on recto only in color half-tone after Lillian Medland each with facing sheet of identifying letter-press.  The plates are numbered I-XXXIII in the list of plates and individually on the recto of their respective sheets of letter-press.  Neither the plates nor their letter-press are included in pagination.

This interesting work makes clear that nothing about the so-called "birds of paradise" is clear.  The check list at the end presents 59 full species in loosely or unallied groups collected under the sobriquet birds of paradise and 20 under the umbrella term, "bower birds".  In addition, it lists numerous subspecies.  All forms are illustrated by Lillian Medland, the author's wife, and the illustrator for Charles Stonham's Birds of the British Islands (1906-1911).

Iredale worked for many years as the personal secretary and assistant for Gregory Mathews and was a man of great knowledge as well as pedantry and dogmatism. Although he died in 1972, he was very much a 19th century ornithologist. A particularly interesting section in this book is the "bibliography" which is actually an annotated list of all those who had written about or collected birds of paradise.  One can't find this type of information in 20th century books. The present work is the first monograph on these fascinating birds since those of Sharpe and of Elliot in the late 19th century.

The accounts are very comprehensive with detailed descriptions, measurements, analyses of relationships or their lack, and exact distribution notes.  Iredale's great knowledge of the literature enabled him to supply more historical perspective than one usually finds in an ornithological book.

The illustrations suffer from the fact that the artist was not familiar with the living birds.

This work is listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity, Yale.


Irwin, Raymond

British bird books: / an index to British ornithology / A. S. 1481 to A. D. 1948  21.3 cm x 13.8 cm.  Pp. [i-iv]v-xix(1)1-398.  Publisher's blue cloth with black lettering to spine.  London, Grafton & Co., 1951. 

i, Half-title; ii, blank; iii, title; iv, printed by The Garden City Press, Letchworth, Hertfordshire; v, dedication; vi, blank; vii, contents; ix, introduction; 1, part one, subject lists; 55, part two, regional lists; 93, part three, systematic lists (arranged by orders); 195, part four, index of authors; 371,  part five, index of subjects, species and places; 385, addresses of national societies, unions, periodicals; 387, supplementary list, 194901950, with index.

On page ix, the author states, about this book: "Not designed for the bibliographer or the book collector…..should be of value to the student or librarian as a check-list of the material available within the limits set."  The work is well arranged so that titles can be accessed from several perspectives. However, the bibliographic information is variable and scanty at best.  What can be relied upon is: a short version of a title; the names of authors with their initials; the year of publication.  Occasionally given are: the full name of the author and the dates of his/her life; an indication of size; the publisher and place of publication; the number of pages; whether illustrated or not; and whether the illustrations are colored.

An unusual, potentially useful feature is the inclusion of periodical articles.

Irwin wrote extensively about British libraries.

Listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity and Yale.

 

Creative Commons License
The Richard L. Soffer Ornithology Collection by Richard L. Soffer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.amherst.edu.