Someone donated a copy of
A Natural History of American Birds of Eastern and Central North America (by Edward Howe Forbush, revised by John Bichard May, with color plates by Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Allan Brooks and Roger Tory Peterson, published in--if my interpretation of Roman numerals is correct--1939) to the Cobble. The book itself is in very good condition, but I don't think I've read a word--I just sit around, flipping through the charming plates, looking at pictures (more photos of the pages in my
flickr--it was hard to choose).
2 comments:
My dad's always pointing out to my mom that all the pics those old bird books are likely painted using dead birds as models. Sort of a grim comment I realize. She's been trying to do a series of squirrel prints and Dad keeps offering to bring her some "models", and offer which she has wisely declined. She just takes photos while they're raiding our bird feeder.
Using dead birds as models doesn't really phase me--that's how Audubon did it, and also how a lot of our birds got their names (i.e. red-bellied wood peckers--the 'red belly' is almost impossible to see in the field). Though, admittedly, having a rotting squirrel in the house does not seem too appealing--taxidermy mounts, on the other hand...
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