Birds Illustrated by Color Photography, Vol. 3, No. 2 [February, 1898]: A Monthly Serial designed to Promote Knowledge of Bird-Life

In Short

This nineteenth-century natural history issue presents a series of accessible profiles detailing North American and international bird species, ranging from the Least Bittern and Baldpate Duck to the Saw-Whet Owl and Black Swan. Blending rigorous biological observation with poetry, whimsical first-person monologues, and serial narrative, the text explores avian nesting habits, vocalizations, and behaviors. It aims to bridge scientific inquiry and popular literature, celebrating natural beauty while urging humanity to cultivate empathy, preserve wild habitats, and protect animal life from industrial expansion and fashion-driven destruction.

The Story

The volume opens with a reflection on Gilbert White and his seminal work The Natural History of Selborne, framing the study of nature as both a disciplined science and a high moral calling. White's painstaking observations, such as his decades-long study of a single tortoise, serve as an ideal model for readers, contrasting with the superficial or self-absorbed musings of authors like Thoreau. This intellectual foundation establishes that close attention to the natural world fosters personal virtue, domestic stability, and national well-being.

The narrative then transitions into practical demonstrations of human compassion toward wildlife. A pair of true anecdotes about the industrialist George H. Corliss illustrates how human construction projects—a foundry and a municipal pumping station—can be paused or altered to accommodate nesting Blue Birds and Robins. These real-world examples show that technical progress need not come at the expense of ecological empathy.

From these moral frameworks, the text pivots to detailed profiles of distinct bird species, alternating between formal ornithological descriptions and creative narrative devices. The nocturnal Least Bittern is described in its marshy, rush-filled habitats, noted for its quiet habits and deceptive posture. The Baldpate Duck follows, framed through a domestic dialogue between a curious boy named Bobbie and his mother. Their conversation touches upon the bird's habit of stealing food from Canvas-back ducks, which prompts a broader discussion on animal intelligence and cooperative problem-solving.

As the issue progresses, it introduces species through imagined, lighthearted soliloquies spoken directly by the birds themselves. The Red-Bellied Woodpecker—affectionately dubbed the "Zebra Bird"—complains good-naturedly about its clinical name and details its tree-climbing habits, corn-crib raids, and anatomical features like its two-toed foot structure. The Saw-Whet Owl defends its reputation against claims of being "stupid" or "tough," explaining its night-hunting routines, its saw-filing call, and the unfortunate trend of owls being slaughtered for women's millinery. Similarly, the Australian Black Swan recounts its historic discovery by Dutch explorers and describes its powerful wings and aquatic movements.

Interspersed among these entries are observational accounts of courtship rituals, such as the spring dances of the Blackcock on English moors and the courting displays of the Lesser Prairie Hen on Western plains. The text highlights how human encroachment and sport hunting have impacted species like the Prairie Hen, once so abundant in Kansas that they were slaughtered wantonly.

The volume culminates in a installment of "The New Tenants," a serialized story following a family of House Wrens nesting in an old tin pot on a human family's porch. The narrative captures the humorous squabbles and anxious devotion of Mr. and Mrs. Wren as they protect their six eggs from potential threats. The issue concludes with a structured reference summary categorizing each featured bird's range, nesting habits, and egg descriptions.

How It Unfolds

Honoring the naturalists The text introduces Gilbert White's landmark study of Selborne, praising his meticulous, decades-long patience and contrasting his disciplined scientific love for nature with the self-centered musings of writers like Thoreau.

Modern acts of mercy Two anecdotes depict engine builder George H. Corliss halting construction and moving a whole tree to protect nesting Blue Birds and Robins, demonstrating that industrial efficiency can accommodate wild creatures.

Observations in the marsh The volume transitions to species profiles, describing the secretive, nocturnal Least Bittern in its swampy reed beds, detailing its pale eggs, weak daytime flight, and quiet demeanor.

Lessons at the pond Through a dialogue between young Bobbie and his mother, the text examines the Baldpate Duck's food-snatching tendencies and explores whether birds possess reasoning power through a story of ducks rescuing a trapped companion.

Voices from the tree trunks A Red-Bellied Woodpecker addresses the reader directly to explain its markings, call notes, and winter feeding habits, followed by formal notes on its nesting habits in Kansas elms.

Echoes in the dark The Saw-Whet Owl offers its own monologue on its nighttime habits and unique rasping call, while the narrative laments the widespread killing of owls to supply fashion trends in women's hats.

Tales from distant waters The Black Swan describes its Australian origins, webbed feet, and immense wing strength, accompanied by historical context marking two hundred years since the species was first documented by European explorers.

Domestic life on the porch The issue concludes with a installment of "The New Tenants," portraying the domestic lives, territorial worries, and comedic chatter of a pair of Wrens raising a brood on a suburban porch.

The People

Gilbert White A pioneering English naturalist and Oxford scholar whose devotion to his native village of Selborne produced unmatched observational studies. He seeks to document every detail of local flora, fauna, and geology out of a pure love for nature, refusing academic preferment to remain in the countryside where his patient, multi-decade studies set a benchmark for future generations.

George H. Corliss A famous engine builder and industrialist known for constructing municipal pumping systems and foundries. When confronted with bird nests in active construction zones, he uses his engineering ingenuity to adjust schedules, alter timber placement, and relocate entire trees, ensuring that progress does not harm the young birds.

Bobbie An inquisitive young boy who reads about birds alongside his mother. He seeks to understand animal behavior, questioning human assumptions about bird intelligence and defending the idea that ducks can reason and cooperate to help one another.

Mr. and Mrs. Wren A pair of House Wrens who take up residence in an abandoned tin pot on a residential porch. Mr. Wren is a cheerful, songful, but slightly boastful protector who downplays his aggressive tendencies, while Mrs. Wren is a practical, anxious, and sharp-tongued mother deeply devoted to guarding her six speckled eggs.

In Its Own Voice

"The very minuteness--almost painful--of his observation required him to occupy himself for days and weeks and months with what to the average mind would seem of the slightest importance."

This reflection on Gilbert White highlights the quiet dedication necessary for true natural history observation, contrasting patient study with modern haste.

"When Mr. Corliss knew this he had the work transferred to the other side of the square or parallelogram around which the digging and blasting were to go, saying that it was just as well to do the other side first."

This passage captures the practical empathy of an industrial leader who willingly adjusts heavy construction to protect a single Robin's nest.

"A good push, a strong push, up went the crate a little way, and out waddled the little prisoner."

Young Bobbie shares this anecdote during a family conversation to argue that birds possess reasoning abilities and a instinct for mutual aid.

What It's Really About

Beneath its charming descriptions and avian soliloquies, the text argues for a fundamental shift in how humans relate to the natural world. It asserts that nature study is not merely an intellectual pursuit, but a vital antidote to the moral and physical decline of urban life. By cultivating a habits of minute observation, individuals develop empathy, patience, and a sense of stewardship.

The issue directly confronts human cruelty, whether manifested in the wanton slaughter of Prairie Chickens for sport or the destruction of owls to satisfy vanity in women's fashion. It insists that animals possess intelligence, emotional life, and intrinsic value, asserting that true civilization requires living in conscious harmony with all living creatures.

Why Read It Today

This volume offers a fascinating window into late nineteenth-century popular science, capturing a transitional moment when natural history was moving out of private cabinets and into everyday homes. Readers who appreciate historical nature writing, vintage environmental literature, or the history of conservation will find much to admire in its gentle, instructional tone.

The prose balances charming period domesticity with genuine scientific curiosity, though readers should be prepared for the moralizing tone typical of Victorian educational serials. The text also reflects nineteenth-century attitudes toward wildlife, where admiration for a species often coexisted with sport hunting and specimen collection.

What lingers after reading is the text's quiet conviction that paying attention to small things—a wren's nest in a tin pot, a tortoise in a garden, or an owl in the night—enriches human life. Its plea for habitat preservation and wildlife protection remains remarkably resonant today.