The Feathery Tribe: Robert Ridgway and the Modern Study of Birds
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.88 (714 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0300175523 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 368 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2016-06-27 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
A Soaring Tribute This book gives long due tribute to the shy, impassioned man, the Smithsonian's first curator of birds, who was so instrumental to the emergence of professional ornithology. It does so as it masterfully explores the history of that science. It also helps us better understand how science is practiced today, including tensions between indoor and outdoor work. Lewis helps us to appreciate what it took for bird-
sets a fine standard for biographies that move beyond a narrative into analysis of intellectual and social currents in the field."--Pamela Henson, American University"Deftly presented and deeply researched, The Feathery Tribe fills an important gap in our understanding of the development of modern bird study, while restoring Ridgway to his rightful place of honor among the pantheon of American naturalists."--Mark V. "Lewis's masterful biography of Ridgway gives us insight into what it meant to be a biologist in the late 19th century. Garrett, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County"A major contribution to the history of natural history, history of museums, history of American science, as well as history of ornithology. Barrow, Jr., Virginia Tech"This book does an excellent job of underlining the lasting value of Ridgway's work and those of his colleagues and rivals, and they form the basis of just about every aspect of modern bird study."&mda
He explores the inner workings of the Smithsonian and the role of collectors working in the field and reveals previously unknown details of the ornithological journal The Auk and the untold story of the color dictionaries for which Ridgway is known.. Exploring a world in which the uses of language, classification and accountability between amateurs and professionals played essential roles, Lewis offers a vivid introduction to Ridgway and shows how his work fundamentally influenced the direction of American and international ornithology. Driven by a desire to advance science, as well as by ego, pride, honor, insecurity, religion and other clashing sensibilities, they struggled to absorb the implications of evolution after Darwin. Amateurs and professionals studying birds at the end of the nineteenth century were a contentious, passionate group with goals that intersected, collided and occasionally merged in their writings and organizations. In the process, they dramatically reshaped the study of birds. Daniel Lewis here explores the professionalization of ornithology through one of its key figu