Nests lavishly illustrated in 1800s book

Nest and eggs of a Cedar Waxwing.

From Illustrations of the Nests and Eggs of Birds of Ohio

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Adelson Library is home to a rare and breathtaking book, Illustrations of the Nests and Eggs of Birds of Ohio, published serially during 1879–1886. The book features life-sized illustrations of nests and eggs from 130 species of birds. It received praise for its beauty and fidelity to nature. Only 100 copies were made, and fewer than half are known to exist today.

Inspired by John James Audubon's Birds of America, Genevieve Estelle Jones of Circleville, Ohio, conceived of the book. Genevieve died of typhoid fever just weeks after the book's first plates were released. Her family completed the work in her memory. Her mother, Virginia, created the remaining illustrations, with assistance from several other women. Her brother, Howard, wrote the text and illustrated some of the eggs. Her father continued to contribute the financial backing.

A copy of this lovely book was donated to the Adelson Library, where it is on display. To see some of the illustrations online in color, visit the All About Birds web site at www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/studying/nests/index_html.

—Pat Leonard

For permission to reprint all or part of this article, please contact Laura Erickson, editor, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd., Ithaca, NY, 14850. Phone: (607) 254-1114. email: lle24@cornell.edu