A History of British Birds

Fourth edition of Francis Orpen Morris's The History of British Birds. Exploring known British species, Orpen created this simplified and streamlined series with education in mind. The hand-coloured engravings, which would have normally made books such as these very expensive in this period, were made affordable to promote the learning of bird identification.

Orpen was dogged in his attempt to update these books as new species were added to the British lexicon, with a fifth edition following this one a few years later. He stated that another one of his goals was to make these books readable, and also financially accessible to every class that wished to study Natural History. 'He also supported the causes of bird protectionism and anti-vivisectionism—in a rare absence from his parish he travelled to London to give evidence before the select committee on wild birds protection on 26 June 1873. He was instrumental in establishing the Plumage League in 1885, and he was one of the earliest members of the Selbourne League, which was created in December of the same year. In 1888 the government acknowledged his work as a naturalist with the award of a civil-list pension of £100 per annum.' (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).

Fourth edition; 6 vols, 8vo (26.3 x 17.5 cm); 394 hand-coloured engraved plates; light spotting, vol. 1 plate 9 slightly loose, vol. 3 small tear on pg. 235 and 271, vol. 6 pg. plate 20 and 30 have slight smudges on edges; contemporary gilt-blocked cloth, light wear to the edges and discolouration on covers, page edges uncut, very good condition; 315 pp.

Freeman, British Natural History Books, pg. 249-250.