Publisher's Synopsis
The Birds of Long Island is a book written by J. P. Giraud Jr. in 1844. It is a comprehensive guide to the birds found on Long Island, which is located in the state of New York. The book contains detailed descriptions of the physical characteristics, habitats, and behavior of each bird species found on the island. It also includes illustrations of the birds, which were drawn by the author himself. The book is a valuable resource for bird enthusiasts, researchers, and anyone interested in the natural history of Long Island. It provides a fascinating glimpse into the diverse bird life that can be found in this region and is an important historical document for the study of ornithology.Relatively little first-hand is known of J[acob] P[ost] Giraud, Jr.�������s life, other than that he lived in New York, traveled in adjoining states, had a keen interest in ornithology, was familiar with the works of earlier authorities, and sport-hunted on Long Island. He does not appear in major biographical or bibliographical references. To appreciate Giraud�������s work, one needs to place it into a time-frame. The Introduction to his opus is dated June 1843. Only a few significant books on American ornithology had been published by then. They included: Alexander Wilson�������s, 9-volume American Ornithology (1808-14)John James Audubon�������s 4-volume The Birds of America (1827-38) and his 5-volume Ornithological Biography (1813-39). Thomas Nuttall�������s A Manual of the Ornithology of the United States and of Canada, The Water Birds (1834), and The Land Birds (1840). Giraud�������s contribution followed these major, well-known contributions by only a few years, in Wilson�������s case, about three decades. Further, Giraud�������s Birds of Long Island must be among the very first comprehensive regional avian works. Oddly, it is relatively little known.--Henry M. Reeves.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
