Biodiversity Pics

Illustration from "Kaisenshu" (1914-1915) showing seven detailed, hand-colored sea shells arranged across an aged beige page. Each shell is uniquely shaped and patterned, including conical, rounded, and elongated forms with stripes, spots, and intricate markings in shades of brown, pink, and green. The shells are labeled with numbers 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 81, and 82 below or near each specimen. The illustration highlights the natural diversity and decorative textures of shells, which are associated with the keyword "cow" likely referencing cowrie shells, known for their smooth, glossy surfaces and historical use as currency and ornamental objects.

🐮 Kaisenshu. v.1.
Kyoto: Yamada Naozoburo, 1914-1915.

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Illustration of a small Amazon parrot perched on a bare, gnarled branch growing from a mossy tree stump. The bird features predominantly green feathers with hints of blue on its wings and red-orange patches on its face and tail. The parrot’s curved beak is gray, and its eye is ringed in white. Detailed shading highlights the texture of the feathers and bark. The background is plain, typical of 18th-century natural history prints. German and French text surrounding the image identifies the bird as a “smaller green parrot” from the Amazon region.

🌴 Recueil de divers oiseaux étrangers et peu communs
A Nuremberg: Chez les Héritiers de Seligmann, 1768-1776.

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An antique illustration from 1657 depicting various marine creatures and mythical sea beings. The main subjects include detailed drawings of several fish species such as a sawfish, a hammerhead shark, and a fish with a bulbous head. Notably, two figures resemble mermaids or sea monsters: one with a humanoid upper body and a long fish-like tail, lying one arm forward and opening its mouth, and another hybrid creature with a somewhat human face and elongated fish body. The page also includes separate sketches of shark jaws and teeth, labeled in Latin. The style is scientific yet imaginative, typical of 17th-century natural history works.

🧜‍♀️ Historiae naturalis de quadrupedibus libri: .
Amstelodami: Apud Ioannem Iacobi Fil. Schipper, MDCLVII [1657].

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Black-and-white historical illustration showing the Victoria Regia, a giant water lily, as it grows in the Amazonian lakes and side channels. The image features large, round floating leaves with upturned edges on a calm river surface, surrounded by dense aquatic and shoreline vegetation. The detailed depiction highlights the natural habitat of the plant in the river environment of the Amazon, emphasizing the size and spread of the lily pads across the water. The scene captures the botanical and ecological context of this notable riverine species in the early 20th century.

🐟 Notes of a botanist on the Amazon & Andes
London, Macmillan and co., limited, 1908.

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Historical botanical illustration titled "Salix vitellina" from 1851 depicting detailed branches of the forstlichen (forestry) plant species Salix vitellina (willow). The central subject features leafy green willow branches with elongated leaves and catkin flowers. To the left and right, separate male and female branches are illustrated with slender catkins. At the bottom, small detailed drawings show various reproductive parts of the plant. The image serves as a scientific study of this forestry plant native to Germany, highlighting both vegetative and reproductive structures with fine color and line work. The plate is marked "41" at the top right.

🏵 Vollständige Naturgeschichte der forstlichen Culturpflanzen Deutschlands.
Berlin, A. Förstner'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung (P. Jeanrenaud)1851.

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Illustration from "A history of the fishes of the British Islands" (1877-1878) showing four elongated fish species. From left to right: Planer's lamprey, slender and beige with visible gill openings; mud lamprey, greenish-yellow with a narrow body; a large, brown-orange eel-like fish with a rounded head; and a small, detailed sketch of a lancelet in black and white. The fish are depicted with careful detail highlighting their shape and anatomical features. The background is plain, emphasizing the fish as marine species linked to the British Islands and surrounding waters.

🏝 A history of the fishes of the British Islands
London: G. Bell, 1877-1878.

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Illustration of a fish labeled "Hydrocyon armatus," depicted with a greenish body and red-edged fins including the tail, dorsal, and pectoral fins. The fish has large, sharp teeth visible in an open mouth and a prominent yellow eye with a dark pupil. Detailed scales cover its elongated body. The background includes light, detailed sketches of underwater plants and textured water or ground surrounding the fish, emphasizing its natural aquatic habitat. The image is a historical ichthyology plate from Edinburgh, mid-19th century, highlighting the fish’s anatomical details for scientific study.

🐟 Ichthyology
Edinburgh, etc.: W.H. Lizars, etc., 1852-1854.

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Black and white historical illustration from the 1914 "Book of Monsters" showing a close-up of a large segmented insect larva or caterpillar. The body is covered in fine hair-like structures and each segment features a distinct circular spiracle or eye-like spot. The larva’s head has prominent dark mandibles and appears textured with subtle ridges. The detailed, magnified view emphasizes the creature's alien and monstrous appearance, characteristic of early 20th-century scientific illustrations exploring unusual or fearsome organisms.

👹 Book of monsters
Washington, National Geographic Society, 1914.

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Illustration of Erica rosea, a heath plant, featuring a central woody stem with dense, narrow, needle-like green leaves. Several tubular, dark pink to crimson flowers cluster near the top of the branches. Below the main branch are detailed botanical drawings showing individual leaf structure, stamens, pistil, and a sectioned flower, highlighting reproductive parts. The background is plain beige, typical of 19th-century botanical illustrations, emphasizing the plant's morphology.

🌾 The heathery, or, A monograph of the genus Erica: London: Henry G. Bohn, 1845.

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Illustration of two Lophorina minor birds of paradise from New Guinea. The male, perched on a branch, displays striking iridescent turquoise breast shield and head plumage with black wings partially raised, showcasing vibrant contrast. The female, on the ground below, has brown feathers with distinctive black and white striped patterns on her face and throat. The background features natural vegetation and an earthy landscape under a cloudy sky. The detailed hand-colored drawing highlights sexual dimorphism and intricate feather textures typical of this species.

🦜 The birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan islands
London: Henry Sotheran & Co., 1875-1888.

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Illustration of a Corn Marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum) featuring two yellow flowers with detailed petals and green spiny stems. One flower is shown from the front, the other from the back, revealing green bracts beneath the petals. The plant’s jagged-edged green leaves and root system are depicted. Below the main plant are smaller detailed drawings of flower parts, including a bud, petals, and reproductive structures, highlighting botanical features. The illustration is hand-colored, set against a beige background with handwritten botanical labels and publication information.

🌺 British phaenogamous botany, .
Oxford, Published by the author, sold by J.H. Parker [etc.]1834-43..

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Historical illustration from "Ornithological Miscellany V.2" (1876-1878) depicting three main subjects: two dodos and a sheep-like animal with curled horns standing between them. The large right dodo has a bulky, rounded body, a prominent hooked beak, stout legs, and textured feathers. The smaller left dodo is leaner, with a long curved beak and slender legs. The middle animal resembles a sheep with detailed fur and curved horns, positioned in a naturalistic landscape with distant palm trees. Below the main scene is a small sketch of a dodo labeled “Athen.” The image is finely detailed using line engraving techniques.

🦤 Ornithological miscellany V.2
London: Trübner and Co., Bernard Quaritch, R.H. Porter, 1876-1878.

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Illustration from 1771 depicting a crab labeled "Cancer arenarius" amid delicate, branching seaweed labeled "Lithophyton." The crab is detailed with prominent claws and multiple hairy legs, positioned centrally on the seaweed, showcasing marine life native to the Atlantic regions of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands. The image features soft brown and gray tones on a faded cream background, characteristic of historical natural history prints.

🌊 The natural history of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands: London: Printed for B. White, 1771.

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Historical black-and-white illustration from a 1949 book depicting three large fish species. At the top is the Greenland or Sleeper Shark (Somniosus microcephalus), shown in side view with a robust body and rounded fins. Below it is the Bramble or Spinous Shark (Echinorhinus spinosus), detailed with textured skin and multiple small fins along its back and tail. At the bottom is the Monk-fish or Angel-fish (Squatina squatina), illustrated both in side and top views, displaying broad, flattened pectoral fins resembling wings. The page is titled "Giant Fishes," focusing on shark species, though not whales, emphasizing their anatomical features.

🐳 Field book of giant fishes
New York, G. P. Putnam[1949]

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Illustration of two Marsh Terns (Hydrochelidon fluvatilus) from South Australia, one flying with wings spread and the other standing on sand with sparse grass. Both birds have white and grey plumage with black caps and red beaks and legs. In the upper right, a close-up image of a speckled egg, displayed at natural size, features a pale background with dark brown markings. The scene is set against a soft, pastel-colored background of shoreline and grasses, emphasizing the birds' natural habitat. The image is from a 1910 publication titled "Protected native birds of South Australia."

🥚 Protected native birds of South Australia
Adelaide: Rogers, 1910.

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Illustration from a 1740s natural history book showing detailed drawings of a sea turtle in three views: dorsal, ventral, and a close-up of the head with an open mouth. The turtle has a dark, patterned shell with textured flippers, and the plastron (underside) is lighter with segmented plates. The head displays rough, scaled skin and distinct facial features. The artwork is signed "Geo Edwards 1740" and depicts anatomical details emphasizing the turtle's amphibious nature.

🪰 A natural history of birds
London: Printed for the author, at the College of Physicians in Warwick-Lane, MDCCXLIII-MDCCLI [1743-1751, i.e. 1750-1776?]

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Illustration of a single "Poire Catillac" pear, a variety described as extraordinary, from the early 19th century French botanical work "La flore et la pomone francaises." The pear is depicted with a rounded, bulbous shape, showing a gradient of colors from yellow-green to reddish-brown, with some speckled brown markings. The stem is short and slightly curved. The illustration is set against an aged, plain background, emphasizing the fruit’s detailed texture and coloration typical of botanical studies of that period.

🌼 La flore et la pomone francaises
Paris: Chez l'auteur, rue Furstemberg, 1828-1833.

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A detailed botanical illustration of Digitalis orientalis (foxglove) from 1821, showing a tall central stem with alternating elongated green leaves and tubular flowers. The flowers are pale with pink and yellow accents, displayed along the upper half of the stem. To the left, a single long leaf is separately illustrated. To the right of the main stem, individual floral parts including a dissected flower, a star-shaped calyx, and reproductive organs are depicted for study. The image emphasizes the plant’s structure and flower anatomy with delicate hand coloring on a plain background. The title and artist’s signature appear in fine script near the bottom.

🌼 Digitalium monographia: Londini: Typis Ricardi et Arthuri Taylor: MDCCCXXI [1821].

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Illustration from a historical botanical dictionary showing two detailed yellow Laelia xanthina orchid flowers with elongated petals and ruffled edges. The flowers have a prominent central lip marked with fine purple veins and white highlights, attached to a green stem. The image is rendered in soft, naturalistic tones on a pale background with handwritten text identifying the species. Despite the keyword "cattle," the main subjects are the orchids, depicted for scientific and artistic purposes. The artwork emphasizes precise botanical features typical of 19th-century chromolithographs.

🐄 Dictionnaire iconographique des orchidees: .
Bruxelles: Imp. F. Havermans, 1896-1907..

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Illustration of a bird's nest containing six oval eggs, identified as hedge sparrow eggs. The nest is intricately woven with twigs, grasses, and leaves, showing detailed textures of natural materials. The composition focuses closely on the nest, highlighting the rural theme of British songbirds in their natural habitat. The style is a fine, historical etching from the late 18th century, emphasizing natural history study and rural wildlife observation.

🌄 Harmonia ruralis, or, An essay towards a natural history of British song birds: .
London: Printed and sold by the author ... ;1794-1796..

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Detailed black-and-white line drawing of a "Rubio Volador," a Caribbean marine fish, from an 18th-century natural history book printed in Havana. The fish is shown in profile with distinctive large, fan-like pectoral fins covered in small dots and several spiny dorsal fins. Its body is elongated and textured with scales, and the head features prominent eyes and intricate facial lines. The style is scientific and precise, capturing anatomical details for identification. The illustration is labeled with the fish’s name below and a plate number at the top left on aged, yellowed paper.

🌴 Descripcion de diferentes piezas de historia natural las mas del ramo maritimo: .
En La Havana: En la Imprenta de la Capitania General, 1787..

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The image shows a detailed black-and-white illustration of underwater sea life titled "Coloured warty Snail (Doris tuberculata Cuvier)." The main subject is a large, textured sea snail with a ruffled, rose-like shape surrounded by various marine vegetation and coral formations on the ocean floor. Despite the keyword "seal," no seal appears in the image. The illustration captures the intricate textures and shapes of the sea snail and its natural habitat in the North Sea.

🦭 Tier-und Pflanzenleben der Nordsee /.
Leipzig: W. Klinkhardt, 1914-1922..

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Illustration of a coiled rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) with a thick body and distinct diamond-shaped patterns along its back. The snake's head is raised and slightly turned, showing detailed scales and facial markings. Its tail features a prominent segmented rattle, characteristic of rattlesnakes. The image is rendered in neutral tones on a plain background, emphasizing the texture and pattern of the snake's scales. The style reflects 19th-century scientific illustration focused on anatomical accuracy.

🐍 North American herpetology: .
Philadelphia: J. Dobson, 1836-1840..

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Historical black-and-white illustration from 1767 depicting various small animals and invertebrates, including two rodents with detailed fur and whiskers prominently shown at the top, surrounded by segmented worms, centipedes, a starfish, and a circular sea creature with radiating spines. Each organism is numbered for identification. The image is titled "Jacobi Petiveri Opera, historiam naturalem spectantia" and includes Latin text at the top referencing "Animalia Etruriae." The detailed linework highlights anatomical features like limbs, antennae, and exoskeleton segments, reflecting natural history studies of the period. The keyword "lizard" is unrelated to the depicted subjects.

🦎 Jacobi Petiveri Opera, historiam naturalem spectantia
London: Printed for John Millan, Bookseller ..., 1767.

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Illustration of a male Cape Shoveler (Spatula capensis) from 1912, depicted standing near water with aquatic plants. The bird features distinct brown patterned plumage, glossy green and blue wing feathers, a broad black spatula-shaped bill, and orange webbed feet. The background includes reeds and a shoreline, emphasizing its natural habitat in South Africa. The detailed artwork highlights the bird's unique coloration and anatomy typical of game-birds and waterfowl from the region.

🌍 The game-birds & water-fowl of South Africa
London, Witherby & co., 1912.

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Illustration from 1841 showing a detailed anatomical study of a horse's external muscles. The horse stands in profile facing right, with its skin partially removed to reveal the structure and placement of muscles along the neck, shoulder, chest, and legs. Fine lines and shading highlight muscle contours and tendons, demonstrating equine musculature for scientific and educational purposes. The background is plain with subtle ground texture under the horse's hooves. The title "EXTERNAL MUSCLES OF THE HORSE" is centered below the image.

🐴 The natural history of horses
Edinburgh: W.H. Lizars, 1841.

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Illustration from an 1850 monograph depicting 24 detailed black-and-white sketches of Permian brachiopod fossils found in England. Each fossil is shown from various angles, highlighting ribbed, fan-shaped shells with distinct ridges, spines, and valves. Numbers and letter annotations mark specific features for scientific reference. The fossils vary in size and shape but share a common symmetrical, shell-like form typical of marine organisms from the Permian period. The image emphasizes texture and structural details important for paleontological study, presented on a yellowed page with the artist's signature, G.B. Sowerby Jun., at the bottom right.

🦴 A monograph of the Permian fossils of England
London, Printed for the Palæontographical Society, 1850.

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Historical illustration from 1640 depicting a dragon-like creature with a single coiled tail and a body covered in scales. It has three serpentine heads, each with open mouths showing sharp teeth. The creature clings to a vertical, textured surface, possibly a tree or rock. The image is detailed with fine linework emphasizing the textured skin and claws. The text above identifies the creature as a multi-headed hydra or dragon from Ulyssis Aldrovandi’s natural history work.

🐉 Ulyssis Aldrovandi ....
Bononiæ, apud C. Ferronium, 1640..

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Historical botanical illustration page by Miss Mary E. Martin from Floral Park, New York, circa 1900, featuring detailed black-and-white drawings of various gourds and cucumbers. The main subjects include ornamental climbing gourds, a spiked Horned African cucumber, Queen Anne's sweet-scented pocket melon, kaleidoscope pepper fruits, balsam apple and pear climbers, and Japanese nest-egg gourd. Each plant is accompanied by descriptive text highlighting unique characteristics such as fruit shapes, colors, vine growth habits, and uses, emphasizing the ornamental and practical value of these ancient and exotic plants for gardens and trellises.

🗿 Flowers for springtime..
Floral Park, N.Y.: Miss Mary E. Martin, 1900..

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Illustration titled "The handy natural history" (1910) showing eight small to medium-sized animals: a tri-colored Guinea Pig, a gray Chinchilla with large ears, a black and white spiny Porcupine, a brown Rabbit sitting upright, a dark brown Capybara near water, a brown Hare in mid-leap, a lean brown Golden Agouti with a pointed snout, and a dark, stout Syrian Hyrax. Each animal is labeled with its name and numbered. The drawing style is detailed and naturalistic, highlighting the distinctive features and postures of each species on a neutral background.

🦡 The handy natural history
Boston, R.G. Badger, The Gorham press, 1910.

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