Background
John Cassin was born on September 6, 1813 in Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. He was the son of Thomas Cassin, a Quaker.
(Honorable Joint Library Committee of Congress, to superin...)
Honorable Joint Library Committee of Congress, to superintend the preparation of Plates for the Atlas ol Mammalogy and Ornithology of the United States Exploring Expedition; and subsequently to prepare the present volume. In both of these departments of Natural History, large and highly interesting collections were made, and much new and valuable information obtained by the naturalists of the Expedition. My object has been to notice, in this volume, every species of interest, with careful descriptions of such as were previously unknown; and to give all the information to be obtained from the recorded observations and journals of the naturalists, which have been at my disposal; and I have appended a complete Catalogue of the collections in these two classes of animals. Not having accompanied the Expedition, my sources of information have been exclusively those designated above, and especially I am indebted to the kindness of Charles Pickering, M.D., one of the naturalists of the Expedition, whose volumes have added so much of the highest value to its series of publications. (Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.) About the Publisher Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology. Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately preserve the original format of each page whilst digitally enhancing the aged text. Read books online for free at www.forgottenbooks.org
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( Illustrations, one of the rarest books on American bird...)
Illustrations, one of the rarest books on American birds, established John Cassin (1813-1869) as the leading American ornithologist of his day. Now, in a superb facsimile edition from Wind River Press, Illustrations is available for less than the original subscription price nearly 140 years ago. Its value is enhanced by a new introduction by Robert McCracken Peck, who provides the first comprehensive biography of Cassin.
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John Cassin was born on September 6, 1813 in Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. He was the son of Thomas Cassin, a Quaker.
He was educated at the near-by Quaker school, Westtown. Here, as in all educational institutions conducted by the Friends, natural history received especial attention, and young John Cassin was strongly influenced in this direction.
Removing to Philadelphia at the age of twenty-one, he engaged in mercantile pursuits and later held a position in the United States Custom-House. Finally upon the death of Bowen, head of one of the principal engraving and lithographing establishments of the day, Cassin succeeded him in the management of the business and later produced the illustrations for many government and other scientific publications. Soon after removing to Philadelphia, Cassin joined the Academy of Natural Sciences. The collection of birds especially attracted him and he devoted much of his spare time to its study. Dr. Thomas B. Wilson, patron and later president of the Academy, was at this time beginning to assemble the enormous collection of birds that was to make the institution famous in ornithological centers throughout the world, and upon Cassin devolved the work of arranging and identifying the 26, 000 specimens which Wilson had brought together, and which formed the largest collection then in existence. Cassin's opportunities were unequaled, but unfortunately business responsibilities took so much of his time that he was forced to pursue his studies in spare hours, evenings, and holidays. He had the constant support of Dr. Wilson, who procured for the Academy's library practically every book and journal that Cassin needed in his work. Cassin published the results of his researches in many papers in the Proceedings of the Academy and soon established a reputation throughout the scientific world. Unlike Audubon and Alexander Wilson, he was what has been termed a "closet naturalist, " his publications being mainly technical monographs or descriptions of new species dealing with taxonomy and questions of synonymy and nomenclature.
He died in 1869 of arsenic poisoning caused by his handling of bird skins preserved with arsenic.
(Honorable Joint Library Committee of Congress, to superin...)
( Illustrations, one of the rarest books on American bird...)