Biodiversity Pics

Historical wholesale price list page from Dreer's company in Philadelphia, featuring detailed black-and-white botanical illustrations of three potted plants: Nephrolepis Cordata Compacta fern at top left, Lastrea Aristata Variegata fern at top right, and Pandanus Veitchii plant at bottom right. The page includes an extensive list of fern varieties with corresponding pot sizes and prices, plus a brief description and pricing for several other plants, including Panax Victoria, Pandanus utilis, and Passiflora Quadrangularis Variegata. The layout is typographic with botanical art, focusing on the variety, size, and cost of different ferns and plants for wholesale buyers. No panda animals are depicted despite the keyword.

🐼 Dreer's wholesale price list /.
Philadelphia, Pa.: The Company..

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Illustration from "Faune de la Sénégambie" (1883-1887) showing 25 detailed bird feathers of various shapes, sizes, and colors. The feathers include broad, rounded ones with earthy brown, yellow, and green tones, slender wispy ones with fine barbs, and vibrant feathers featuring blue and black hues. Each feather is meticulously drawn with delicate textures highlighting the soft, fluffy down near the base and the structured vane. The feathers are numbered for reference, arranged evenly on a beige background with scientific labeling in French at the top and bottom. This plate reflects 19th-century ornithological study of feather diversity in Sénégambie.

🪶 Faune de la Sénégambie /.
Paris: O. Doin, 1883-1887..

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Historical botanical illustration of Erica mammosa minor, a heath species, featuring two detailed green stems densely covered with needle-like leaves. Each stem supports clusters of small, tubular, bell-shaped purple-pink flowers with subtle shading. Below the main illustration are four smaller botanical details showing individual floral parts: a single bloom, a petal, a cluster of stamens, and a seed capsule, each labeled with numbers. This 1845 print by Henry G. Bohn highlights the distinct form and structure of heath flowers and leaves on a plain cream background, aiding botanical study of the Erica genus.

🌾 The heathery, or, A monograph of the genus Erica: London: Henry G. Bohn, 1845.

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Historical botanical illustration of Aspidium proliferum, a fern species in Pteridophyta, showing a green plant with elongated, lance-shaped leaves and a visible root system. Two fertile fronds rise vertically, each bearing a row of round sori or spore cases on their undersides. To the left, smaller detailed drawings depict mature sporangia with stalks and released spores. In the lower right, a colored inset highlights a cross-section of a fertile frond, illustrating sori arrangement and structure. The illustration is labeled with the plant name in cursive and dated 1831, demonstrating detailed morphology for botanical study of ferns.

🌴 Icones filicum ad eas potissimum species illustrandas destinatæ, quæ hactenus, vel in herbariis delituerunt prorsus incognitae, vel saltem nondum per icones botanicis innotuerunt..
Londini, Prostant Venales Apud Treuttel et Würtz, Treuttel Fil. et Richter; [etc., etc.]1831..

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Historical botanical illustration titled "Histoire des plantes de la Guiane Françoise" (1775), depicting two detailed plant specimens labeled "1. Spermacocæ latifolia" and "2. Cœrulescens." The image shows stems with broad, elongated leaves arranged oppositely along the branches. Below the main plants are thirteen smaller botanical figures illustrating various plant parts such as seeds, flowers, and buds, providing detailed views of reproductive and structural features. The drawing is finely engraved in black ink on aged paper, emphasizing leaf veins, stem nodes, and floral anatomy. Despite the "Aves" keyword, the image exclusively features botanical subjects without any birds or animals.

🕊️ Histoire des plantes de la Guiane Françoise, rangées suivant la méthode sexuelle, avec plusieurs mémoires sur différens objets intéressans, relatifs à la culture & au commerce de la Guiane Françoise, & une notice des plantes de l'Isle-de-France ...
Londres, P.F. Didot jeune, 1775.

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Historical scientific illustration plate showing detailed anatomical studies of a skunk. The image includes multiple labeled sketches depicting the skunk’s head from various angles, close-ups of the nose, ears, and paws, as well as detailed views of claws and pads. The sketches emphasize fur texture, whiskers, and skeletal features such as teeth and nasal structure. The artwork is finely detailed with cross-hatching and shading to highlight anatomical form, typical of mid-19th-century natural history documentation. The layout is organized to present a comprehensive anatomical reference of the skunk for scientific study.

🦨 Catalogue North American mammals with drawings and proof of plates
[1856?]

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Detailed black-and-white historical illustration of a large lizard, labeled "Ameive," lying on rocky terrain with sparse vegetation. The reptile's elongated body features textured scales with a patterned head and neck, four strong limbs with clawed toes, and a long, tapering tail curling beside it. The background shows faint outlines of trees and foliage, rendered in fine line work, giving a naturalistic setting. The image is from "Brehms Tierleben," Leipzig, Bibliographisches Institut, dated 1911-19.

🦎 Brehms Tierleben
Leipzig, Bibliographisches Institut, 1911-19-

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Illustration of a porcupine fish (Diodon) resting on rocks by the water's edge. The fish is round with a spiny body, pale gray with darker spots, and notable yellow fins and tail marked with black spots. Surrounding the fish are detailed rocky formations, and in the background, several small birds are flying above a calm sea under a cloudy sky. The image is a detailed, hand-colored engraving from an 1840 natural history book, showing both the fish’s characteristic spines and a coastal marine habitat.

🪡 The natural history of fishes, particularly their structure and economical uses
Edinburgh: W.H. Lizars, 1840.

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Historical illustration from "Memoirs of the Carnegie Museum" showing four figures related to Atlantic walruses. Fig. 1 is a detailed sketch of a female Atlantic walrus’s face, emphasizing nasal bristles and tusks. Fig. 2 shows a side profile of a female walrus’s head, with an inset (b) highlighting the eye detail, noting differences in male and female eye coloration. Fig. 3 depicts the face of a newly born Atlantic walrus in a softer, less detailed profile. Fig. 4 is a black-and-white photo of husky dogs scavenging on the remains of a walrus at Native Point floe, illustrating interaction between species.

🦭 Memoirs of the Carnegie Museum.
Pittsburgh: Published by the authority of the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Institute, 1901-1936.

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Illustration of a single pigeon perched on a moss-covered tree branch. The pigeon has a pinkish-brown body with a grayish-blue wing pattern and a distinctive cluster of bright pink feathers on its neck. It has red legs and a small black beak, with a subtle blue patch near the eye. The background is plain, emphasizing the detailed textures and colors of the bird and branch. The image is a naturalistic drawing from early 19th-century Paris, focusing on the bird's anatomy and plumage.

🦃 Les pigeons
Paris, [1808-]1811.

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Historical botanical illustration from 1854 depicting the Wald-Anemone (Anemone silvestris Lin.). The main subject is a green leafy plant with deeply lobed leaves and a single white flower with five rounded petals and a central cluster of stamens. The detailed drawing includes the plant's root system and several small insets showing close-up views of reproductive parts such as buds, pollen, and seed structures, labeled with letters. The style is precise and scientific, typical of 19th-century botanical art for identifying and studying poisonous plants in Germany.

🥒 Sämmtliche Giftgewächse Deutschlands
Leipzig: F. Voight, 1854.

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Illustration of a pinkish-beige pigeon perched on a small, detailed branch with moss. The pigeon has a black band across its neck, wings shaded in gray and beige, and a long tail with a distinctive dark band near the end. Its feet are pink and gripping the branch. The artwork is delicate and precise, showcasing the bird’s smooth feathers and rounded head with a soft pink eye. The text below identifies the bird as "Colombe Blonde" (Columba risoria), emphasizing its pale coloration. The background is plain and off-white, highlighting the bird as the main subject.

🦃 Les pigeons / par Madame Knip, née Pauline de Courcelles ; le texte par C.J. Themminck [i.e. Temminck]
Paris: Chez Mme. Knip: [1838-1843?]

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Illustration from the 1912 Annual Report of the Laguna Marine Laboratory, showing detailed line drawings of various small marine organism appendages and anatomical parts. The sketches include segmented limbs, claws, setae, and circular egg-like structures, each labeled with numbers for identification. The scientific style emphasizes fine structural details, highlighting the morphology studied at this California marine biology research facility. The plate is titled "Plate I" and reflects early 20th-century biological documentation methods.

🌞 Annual report of the Laguna Marine Laboratory
Claremont, Calif.: Dept. of Biology, Pomona College, 1912-

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Illustration from an 1889 natural history book showing various detailed and colored drawings of marine and land mollusk shells, including univalve shells, slugs, bivalve shells, and lamellibranchiata. The tiger cowry shell, central among the univalve shells, is notable for its smooth, glossy surface with a spotted pattern resembling a tiger's coat. Surrounding it are other shells with varied shapes, textures, and colors, including spiraled, ridged, and scalloped forms, along with depictions of slugs and snails. Each specimen is labeled with letters and scientific names below. The image is scientific and educational, aiming to illustrate shell diversity.

🐯 Natural history of the animal kingdom for the use of young people
Brighton: E. & J.B. Young and Co., 1889.

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Illustration of the skull of Mastodon giganteus, a prehistoric North American mammal, displayed from an inferior view. The detailed drawing highlights the large, rounded cranium with textured surface features, prominent openings for nasal and cranial cavities, and robust jawbone structures. The image showcases the anatomical complexity of the species' skull, emphasizing its massive size and distinctive bone formations typical of the extinct mastodon genus.

🦣 The Mastodon giganteus of North America /.
Boston: J. Wilson, 1852..

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Illustration of two parrots perched on tree branches. The upper parrot features vibrant green, yellow, and red plumage with a curved gray beak, holding a red object in its foot. The lower parrot has striking red and gray feathers with a black beak, facing upwards toward a small sprig with red berries. Both birds are detailed with textured feathers and depicted with naturalistic coloration. A few slender green leaves grow from the branches, and the image is framed with a thin yellow border. The artwork is a historical naturalist engraving from 1784, showcasing exotic bird species with scientific and common names in French, Latin, and Italian.

🦜 Recueil de cent-trente-trois oiseaux des plus belles espèces gravés sur 87 planches et colorés d'après nature par d'habiles maitres.
A Rome: Chez Bouchard & Gravier, 1784.

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Illustration from 1792-1796 depicting a wolverine (Ursus luscus) standing on grass with a tree and plants on the left and distant trees and hills in the background. The wolverine has a robust, elongated body covered in brown fur with lighter fur on its neck and chest. Its face is detailed, showing sharp teeth and a slightly open mouth. The style reflects historical scientific illustration with fine line work and naturalistic coloring.

🐺 Musei Leveriani explicatio, anglica et latina
[London]: Impensis Jacobi Parkinson, 1792-1796.

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Black and white historical illustration titled "Heatherton Incubating Room" showing a wooden incubator labeled "Douglass Patent" designed for ostrich eggs. The incubator features multiple compartments with visible large ostrich eggs resting inside, with an ostrich peeking from behind the structure. The setting appears indoors with wooden flooring, illustrating early ostrich farming technology in South Africa around 1881.

🦆 Ostrich farming in South Africa
London, Paris & New York, Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co., [pref. 1881]

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Historical black and white illustration depicting the life stages of the Indian moth species Eucosma zelota. Includes a detailed side view of the adult moth with textured wings and segmented body, a close-up of a curled caterpillar larva with visible segments and tiny hair-like structures, and a compact pupa enclosed in a cocoon showing folded wing patterns. Small inset outlines of the larva and moth emphasize scale, with notes indicating magnifications: larva (x10), pupa (x8), and moth (x13). The image is labeled "Plate XII" and includes scientific annotations referencing the insect's development stages after emergence.

🦋 Life-histories of Indian insects
Calcutta: Published for the Imperial Dept. of Agriculture in India by Thacker, Spink, [1920].

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Historical illustration titled "Birds of New York" (1910-1914) depicting nine sparrows related to the savanna habitat. The sparrows are detailed with brown, tan, and cream plumage featuring streaked patterns. They are perched or standing on grasses, twigs, a piece of wood, and a seed head, highlighting natural savanna vegetation. The species include Henslow’s Sparrow, LeConte’s Sparrow, Ipswich Sparrow, Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow, Acadian Sharp-tailed Sparrow, and Nelson’s Sparrow, each drawn with distinct markings and postures, showcasing diversity within sparrows found in New York savanna regions.

🦁 Birds of New York /.
Albany: University of the State of New York, 1910-1914..

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Illustration of various microscopic sponge spicules collected during scientific campaigns aboard the yacht of Albert I, Prince of Monaco. The detailed line drawings show an array of diverse spicule shapes and sizes, including rods, star-like forms, hooks, and branching structures, each labeled with alphanumeric codes. The plate is titled "Spongiaires des Açores," indicating specimens from the Azores region in the Atlantic Ocean. The scientific nature and delicate features of the spicules reflect early marine biological research in the late 19th century, emphasizing taxonomy and morphology of sponge skeletal elements. The drawing is finely detailed, rendered in black and white on a pale background.

🌊 Résultats des campagnes scientifiques accomplies sur son yacht
[Monaco]Impr. de Monaco, 1889-

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Illustration of a North American wildflower known as "Fox," featuring a slender green stem with clusters of bell-shaped white flowers tinged with light green at the buds. Each flower has delicate, slightly translucent petals and visible internal shading suggesting depth. The plant has several elongated, lance-shaped green leaves at the base. The background is plain, emphasizing the botanical details. The image, created between 1925-1928 for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., highlights the natural form and subtle coloration of this wildflower species.

🦊 North American wild flowers
Washington, D.C., Smithsonian Institution, 1925 [i.e. 1925-1928]

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Historical illustration shows three colorful, stylized fish labeled with scientific notes. The top fish is elongated with a red body, yellow markings, blue spots, and green-striped fins. The middle fish, associated with the keyword "porcupine," has a rounded, red body with black dots and yellow bands, resembling a porcupine’s spines. The bottom fish features large, fan-like, spotted pectoral fins in pale green and pink hues, a long pointed snout with teeth, and a scaled greenish-blue body. The artwork is detailed with vibrant colors and patterns, typical of 18th-century natural history illustrations.

🪡 Poissons, ecrevisses et crabes, de diverses couleurs et figures extraordinaires, .
A Amsterdam, Chez Reinier & Josué Ottens, 1754..

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Illustration of seven American bison skulls displayed from front view, showcasing variations in horn shape and size. The detailed black and white engraving highlights the curved, textured horns attached to the heavy, broad skulls. Each skull displays unique features such as horn curvature, base texture, and skull robustness, reflecting differences between living and extinct bison species. The arrangement allows comparison of anatomical traits important for species identification. The artwork is labeled "Bison Americanus" and dated 1876, emphasizing its historical and scientific value in studying American bison morphology.

🦬 American bisons, living and extinct.
1876.

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Illustration of a brown goat standing on a patch of earth with greenery and colorful flowers around it. The goat has long, curved horns, a beard, and yellow eyes that face forward. In the background, there is a small rustic house partially hidden by trees. The image is titled "BECCO" and is from an 18th-century Italian animal description collection, printed between 1771 and 1775 in Venice. The style is detailed and naturalistic, highlighting the goat's fur texture and distinct horn shape.

🐐 Descrizioni degli animali
In Venezia: Nella stamperia di Carlo Palese, 1771-1775.

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Black and white historical illustration depicting a group of four walruses on rocky shores. One large walrus with prominent long tusks lies on a rock in the foreground, facing slightly upward. Two smaller walruses with visible tusks emerge from the water beside the rock. In the background, two more walruses rest on jagged ice and rocky cliffs. The scene suggests an icy, arctic environment with waves crashing gently around the rocks. Fine detailed lines emphasize the texture of the walrus skin, tusks, and surrounding natural elements. The image is titled "The walrus or sea-horse," dated 1833 from Edinburgh.

🦭 The naturalist's library..
Edinburgh, W. H. Lizars; [etc., etc.]1833-.

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Historical botanical illustration titled "New illustration of the sexual system of Carolus von Linnaeus, 1807," featuring a detailed depiction of the oblique-leaved Begonia plant. The image shows lush dark green leaves with prominent veins and delicate pink and white flowers on bright red stems. A single butterfly hovers near the top left, adding a naturalistic element. The plant is set against a cloudy sky backdrop, emphasizing its botanical features, consistent with Linnaeus's system for classifying plant sexuality. The composition highlights the contrast between flower colors, leaf texture, and stem structure for educational clarity.

📜 New illustration of the sexual system of Carolus von Linnaeus.
London: 1807..

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Historical illustration titled "Implements Belonging to a Whale Boat," showing detailed black-and-white drawings of various whaling tools used in the 19th century along the northwestern coast of North America. The image features paddles, boat hooks, harpoons, lances, a harpoon gun, anchors, knives, and other fishing and navigation equipment arranged systematically with numbered labels. The background depicts a shoreline with sails and boats, emphasizing the maritime context. While no dolphins are directly shown, the tools relate to marine mammal hunting, including species such as whales and dolphins. The style is precise, typical of scientific illustrations from 1874.

🐬 The marine mammals of the north-western coast of North America, .
New York, J.H. Carmany;1874..

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Illustration of a coiled rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) from a 1922 French scientific publication. The snake is shown in detailed black and white, emphasizing its distinctive diamond-shaped pattern along its body and the textured scales. The rattlesnake's head is slightly raised, facing left, while the thick body loops in an intertwined manner. The artwork highlights the snake's venomous nature and characteristic rattling tail, captured with fine shading to indicate volume and surface texture. The illustration is labeled with the species name and publication details on a plain, cream-colored background.

🐍 ... Animaux venimeux et venins: la fonction venimeuse chez tous les animaux;.
Paris, Masson & co., [1922].

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Historical botanical illustration depicting two main Anthophyta species: Fig. 1 shows Tradescantia umbraculifera with elongated leaves and small clustered flowers; Figs. 2–6 feature Alstroemeria campaniflora, highlighting long, narrow leaves, trumpet-shaped flowers, and a detailed stem. Additional close-ups include floral and seed structures. The drawing is finely detailed in black ink on a cream background, with scientific labels and references to a 1901 South Brazil botanical expedition.

🌿 Pteridophyta und Anthophyta /
Wien: K.K. Hof- und Staatsdruckerei, 1908.

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