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[Book review] The history of ornithology in Virginia

January 1, 2005

Virginia is arguably the birthplace of ornithology in North America. Captain John Smith and naturalist Mark Catesby were among the early describers of Virginia's common birds. David Johnston's book, however, begins by taking the reader back to the Tertiary period, some 65 million years ago, with Storrs Olson's description of fossils from tidewater Virginia. John Guilday, studying bone deposits in mountain caves, identified 80 species of birds, including Rock Ptarmigan and Spruce Grouse, from a time when Virginia's climate differed greatly from that of today. Archaeological studies and accounts of aboriginals in the 17th century complete Chapter 1.

Publication Year 2005
Title [Book review] The history of ornithology in Virginia
DOI 10.1642/0004-8038(2005)122[0375:THOOIV]2.0.CO;2
Authors C.S. Robbins
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title The Auk
Index ID 5224414
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
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