Credit: © The Royal Society
    Image number: RS.9991
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    ‘Four curious Beaks of Birds, but little known’

    Date
    1755
    Creator
    George Edwards (1694 - 1773, British) , Ornithologist
    Object type
    Library reference
    38029
    Material
    Technique
    Dimensions
    height (print): 288mm
    width (print): 220mm
    Subject
    Biology
       > Zoology
          > Ornithology
    Content object
    nature
       > animal
          > bird
    Description
    Ornithological studies of the skulls and bills of exotic birds. Figure A is most likely the Black skimmer Rynchops niger from North America. Figure B is the Rhinoceros hornbill Buceros rhinoceros from Sumatra. Figures C and D are other, unidentified hornbills from the Philippines and Sumatra.

    Plate 281 from chapter 71 of Gleanings of natural history, exhibiting figures of quadrupeds, birds, insects, plants, &c..., by George Edwards, volume 2 (London, for the author, 1760). The author describes the provenance of these bird skulls within the text:

    The plate is inscribed: “Beaks of Exotic Birds, drawn from Nature. Letter A if from Carolina, B C D from the east Indies. G. Edwards Delin. et Sculp: AD 1755.”
    Associated place
    <The World>
       > North America
    <The World>
       > Asia
          > Philippines
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