William Swainson

Zoological Illustrations, vol. I William Swainson

The volumes of William Swainson's Zoological Illustrations are testimony of a glorious era of explorations and scientific discoveries at the beginning of the XIX century. European naturalists traveled exotic places to bring back specimen and description of animals and plants never seen before. A great effort was spent to categorize them in a precise taxonomy that would show the differences and similarities of those new species. A competition, really, to win the honor of being the first to name a new bird or a new plant. The rich illustrations in this volumes, the detailed descriptions and the author's comments open a window on that time. This new edition is not just a reprint of the original work, it is meant to make it easier, for the contemporary reader, to enjoy the vivid images and immerse in the spirit of a now forgotten time. Either by just flipping through the images or by carefully reading the descriptions, we hope you will enjoy this book as we enjoyed giving them a new life.