BEWICK'S BRITISH BIRDS: Over 180 Classic Illustrations

'With Bewick on my knee, I was then happy...' Jane Eyre. Charlotte Bronte's heroine was not alone in her enjoyment of the famed engraver and naturalist Thomas Bewick's British Birds - since its first publication in 1797 it has become one of the best-loved classics of natural history. Bewick's masterful woodcuts are more than scientific records; each beady eye and jaunty pose betrays the artist's love of birds. This edition includes over 180 bird species, from garden favourites such as robins, blackbirds and finches, owls, orioles,larks, wagtails, doves, bustards and predators such as the osprey and the majestic golden eagle, grouped by land and water birds like gulls, sea swallows, pelicans, geese and terns. Each entry is illustrated with a charming engraving, and throughout the book are narrative vignettes typical of Bewick's playful, engaging style. 288 page paperback. Illus.