Henry Dresser and Victorian Ornithology: Birds, Books and Business

by Henry A. McGhie

This book explores the life of Henry Dresser (1838-1915), one of the most productive British ornithologists of the mid-late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and is largely based on previously unpublished archival material. Dresser travelled widely and spent time in Texas during the American Civil War. He built enormous collections of skins and eggs of birds from Europe, North America and Asia, which formed the basis of over 100 publications, including some of the finest bird books of the late nineteenth century. Dresser was a leading figure in scientific society and in the early bird conservation movement; his correspondence and diaries reveal the inner workings, motivations, personal relationships and rivalries that existed among the leading ornithologists.

399 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 12, 2017

Reviews

[PerpetualPinkSlippers · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Actually a 4.5]
Even though it's obviously ornithology-based, this is such a wealth of information about the natural sciences in the 19th century
Though some sections were very easy reading and others dense and dry, overall super informative while leaving a lot open for further research

...Also, this hardcover is gorgeous, 10/10 for design