THE RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 2013 THE RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 2013 Supplement No. 29: 259–268 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C7A736D7-9B8D-4EBB-8D28-AD2CF2485B0C Date of Publication: 30 Nov.2013 © National University of Singapore DRESSER, SEEBOHM, AND THE SCOPE OF PALAEARCTIC ORNITHOLOGY G. W. H. Davison National Biodiversity Centre, National Parks Board, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore 259569 Email: [email protected] (Corresponding author) ABSTRACT. — Henry Eeles Dresser wrote and published the nine-volume A History of the Birds of Europe (1871–1882, 1895–1896). This drew a defi nitive line under the binomial system of nomenclature for European birds. It was succeeded by a period of vigorous exchange amongst the whole community of ornithologists on the merits of trinomial (subspecies) nomenclature, in which the social and fi nancial similarities, and the scientifi c and intellectual differences, of Dresser and of Henry Seebohm were important. These two friends were infl uential in determining the framework of the debate, in attracting men of science to Britain to work on the issue, and in publishing a series of works that progressively enlarged in scope to cover the whole of the Palaearctic region. Ironically, each provided support that helped to promote the views of the other, Seebohm by helping to secure subscribers for Dresser, and Dresser by facilitating careers for adherents to Seebohm’s ideas. History has shown Seebohm to have had the greater vision and breadth of interests, enabling him to generate ideas that helped to mould modern thinking. KEY WORDS. — Henry Eeles Dresser, Henry Seebohm, History of the Birds of Europe, ornithology, Palaearctic INTRODUCTION PERSONALIA A History of the Birds of Europe by Dresser (1871–1882, Henry Eeles Dresser. — Joseph Dresser III (born in 1770) 1895–1896) is at once one of the most famous, as well was a notable resident in the hamlet of Topcliffe, set in as one of the least known, books of its type. It is famous a pastoral landscape just south-west of the small town of because its size, scope, comprehensiveness, and plentiful Thirsk, Yorkshire. In around 1800, he married Rebecca Eeles high quality illustrations have secured it a place in every of Durham. His was a prosperous family, owning Topcliffe popular review of great ornithological books (Sitwell et Grange Farm and living at Topcliffe Mill, a substantial al., 1953; Fisher, 1966; Tate, 1985; Allen, 2010) as well as rectangular, brick-built mill that still stands today on the banks in the more academic bibliographies (Mullens & Swann, of the River Swale. In 1820, he founded, with partners, the 1916–1917; Zimmer, 1926; Wood, 1931; Anker, 1938; Nissen, bank known as Joseph Dresser & Co., with premises in the 1953). Hence its existence is known to many. It is poorly main street of Thirsk at Kirkgate close to both St. Mary’s known because of its rarity and cost—but these cannot be Church and the Friends’ Meeting House. At the same time the only reasons—and examples from its illustrations have he continued the corn milling business, and was reputed to seldom been reprinted in other works. Hence its contents rule the corn market in Thirsk and Ripon through his superb are known to few. memory for fi gures (Phillips, 1894). The bank was taken over by the Yorkshire Banking Co. in 1835 and continued Today, Dresser is a misty fi gure from the past whose place as the Yorkshire District Banking Co., with Joseph’s son in the ornithological development of Britain, Europe, and the Henry Dresser (1803–1881) appointed as manager of the Palaearctic is poorly appreciated. So too is his relationship head offi ce in Leeds from 1840–1841 onwards. with the better known ornithologist Henry Seebohm, who was not exactly his mirror image but, to take a metaphor In 1824, Henry married Eliza Ann Garbutt (born in 1807) from palaeontology, the two men resembled slab and counter- of Hull, whose father Robert Garbutt traded with Hackman slab. My thesis is that the two of them acted key parts in & Co. of Vyborg, close to the border between southern the development of approaches to the ornithology of the Finland and Russia. Henry Eeles Dresser (1838–1915) was Palaearctic, their infl uence extending well into the twentieth their sixth child and fi rst son, his middle name deriving from century. The social context behind these developments was his grandmother’s maiden name. When the family moved to inseparable from the academic context. Leeds in 1841, Henry Eeles was less than three years old, 259 Davison: Dresser, Seebohm, and Palaearctic birds and three of the younger children were born in Leeds before 1872; to northern Norway with Robert Collett in 1874; to another move in 1846 to Farnborough, Kent, where their Pechora, Siberia, with J. A. Harvie Brown from 3 Mar.–11 last child was born in 1848. The house at Lock’s Bottom, Sep.1875, and to the Yenisei with Captain Joseph Wiggins Farnborough, was named Topcliffe Grange in allusion to its from 1 Mar.–10 Oct.1877. These are just a few of his better Yorkshire predecessor, but it no longer exists. documented travels. Many others are listed by Sharpe (1902). His own travel books give a wealth of information about Henry Eeles Dresser was sent to school in Bromley, Kent, his observations, though little personal detail about himself and boarded with other pupils of the school at a house in (Seebohm, 1880, 1882), and are still well worth reading, as Lewisham. At the age of 14 in 1852, his father’s intention are his various scientifi c works from which much can still being to train him up for the Baltic timber trade, with a be gleaned. Based in Sheffi eld until 1878, he then moved to view to taking up the business already operated by himself London partly in order to prepare his volume of the Catalogue and his father-in-law Robert Garbutt, he was sent to of Birds in the British Museum (Seebohm, 1881), at the school in Ahrensburg, to learn German, and afterwards to invitation of Albert Günther. Seebohm died of infl uenza in Gefl e and Uppsala (Anonymous, 2013a) to learn Swedish. November 1895, at the age of 63, and several of his works Walter Rothschild (1916) lists some of his travels in were edited for publication after his death by R. B. Sharpe. Europe, Scandinavia, and around the Baltic. He mentions Dresser’s visit to Texas in 1863, which was one of many Seebohm was equally a member of the scientifi c community, thousands of blockade evasions during the American civil a fellow of the Linnean Society of London, a fellow of the war (Anonymous, 2013b). There were disagreements Zoological Society of London, and a fellow (and at one time about the items he was supplying to the Confederates: secretary) of the Royal Geographical Society. “blankets, quinine, and other goods in short supply” (Anonymous, 2013a), or Manchester-manufactured Enfi eld rifl es (Anonymous, 2013b), but no disagreement about the THE DRESSER SEEBOHM NEXUS value of his spare time ornithological output, written up by Dresser (1865–1866). In 1870, when he was 32, Henry Eeles Dresser opened his offi ce space at 110 Cannon Street, in the City of London. Dresser was fully integrated into the professional and serious As Seebohm was a steel manufacturer and Dresser a metal amateur ornithological community (Anonymous, 2013a). He sales agent, their two businesses must surely have been was a member of the British Ornithologists’ Union and for complementary. Seebohm and his family lived in Kensington, a time was its secretary and treasurer (1882–1888), a fellow but the Dressers used various addresses both in London of the Linnean Society of London, of the Zoological Society and in Kent (Anonymous, 2013d), and it is diffi cult to get of London, and later an active member of the Society for a picture of which were his offi ces, which were homes, the Protection of Birds, for which he edited a long series of and the patterns of his daily or weekly commuting. In the popular pamphlets in the last decade of the century. He was a period when he was completing his History of Birds of foreign honorary member of the Nuttall Ornithological Club Europe, both he and Seebohm (up to at least 1885) used for (Cambridge, Massachusetts: elected 1878), and honorary correspondence the address of the publisher R. H. Porter at fellow of the American Ornithologists’ Union (elected 1883). 6, Tenterden Street, London W1, in Mayfair: then and now He died in Monaco in November 1915 at the age of 77, a most fashionable district. having lived for several years at the Villa Marie Louise, Cannes. Dresser’s collection of skins had been lodged with The Dressers and the Seebohms were just two of a large and the Manchester Museum since 1899, and on his death it was intricate set of Quaker families, connected through marriage, purchased for the museum by the Bolton businessman and religion, and business, and many of them additionally Quaker, J. P. Thomasson. His egg collection was acquired connected through their associations with the north of by the same museum in 1912. Much information relating England. They shared a social and intellectual tradition, to Dresser’s background and his ornithological activities, supported fi nancially on natural resources such as coal, iron, including many of the points mentioned above, is given by and timber, and the manufacture of textiles, which meant Anonymous (2013a), McGhie (2009, 2012), and McGhie provision of employment to others (often from similar social & Logunov (2005), while McGhie (2011) describes various backgrounds), and involved support for charitable (especially publication details and dates for Dresser (1871–1882), and educational) causes. Many of the families and individuals their taxonomic consequences. in this social circle were in banking, brewing, and shipping. Henry Seebohm. — Benjamin Seebohm (1798–1871) was a Both Dresser and Seebohm were keenly interested in wool merchant, and a member of a family of German origin, ornithology, and both specialised in the birds of the from Bad Pyrmont, who had settled near Bradford in 1814. Palaearctic. Both formed large collections of bird skins, He married Esther Wheeler (1798–1864). Dresser about 12,000, and Seebohm more than 16,000 (Whitaker, 1896), by their own fi eldwork and by purchase. Their fi rst son, Henry, was born in 1832. Many biographical Both were keenly interested in, and made large collections details of Henry Seebohm, his ancestry and family are given of, birds’ eggs (Dresser, 1905–1910; Seebohm, 1896), of by Sharpe (1902), R. Seebohm (2004), and Anonymous which Seebohm presented over 48,000 to the British Museum (2013c). He travelled to Constantinople and Smyrna in before his death. Both travelled extensively in western and 260 THE RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 2013 central Europe, Scandinavia, the countries around the margin The list is a roll call of the names active in ornithology at of the Baltic Sea, and in Russia, with Seebohm reaching as the time. far as the Yenisei at about 108°E in Siberia. Both men were multilingual, Dresser speaking English, German, Swedish, The subscribers included booksellers and agents (78–80 Russian and probably French, and Seebohm speaking at copies), those who might fairly be described as ornithologists least English, German, French and a smattering of Russian. and other zoologists, though few of them could be professionals in the sense of having a paid position (75–80 Two key differences were in their personality and their copies), aristocracy (30–40 copies), members of a religious intellectual approach to ornithology. There is evidence that and family social network (about 30 copies), and institutions Seebohm was unsettled in his youth, subject to depression (18–19 copies), totalling about 240. Another 150 copies, or and inertia, and found it diffi cult to settle to a profession. just under 40%, were subscribed by those who might be When he fi nally did so, in steel manufacturing, he made described as the well-to-do, interested laymen, primarily a great success of it, and he joined other companies as a within Britain. A few copies then remained in storage, for director apparently on the strength of his reputation at being sale complete, to any future purchaser, some being available able to turn around sick companies. But even while running till at least 1915, 45 years after commencement and 20 years his successful business, he took long periods off to travel, after completion, when any remaining copies were bought and he left business at the early age of 56. As he aged, over from the ailing Dresser by the famous bookseller John Seebohm’s religious views appear to have shifted, and he Wheldon. eventually became a Freemason (R. Seebohm, 2004). About Dresser there were no such doubts: he followed parental The booksellers and agents. — In total, 24 booksellers guidance in his education, and exposure to the timber and (including printers and publishers) took about 78 to 80 metals trade, went where he was told to go, and smoothly copies, for some of which they would already have arranged entered the world of employment with great success. On the individual purchasers. Six foreign book dealers or agents other hand, in ornithology Seebohm was the intellectual and took 14 copies, while 18 book dealers or agents in Britain philosopher, while Dresser was the traditionalist, compiler took 64 copies. Half of all the copies taken by booksellers and workhorse. were to businesses based in London, though J. E. Cornish of Manchester handled an impressive nine copies. So did Dresser and Seebohm both documented their interests in Hatchard’s of London. dozens of papers and short notes, particularly in The Ibis, journal of the British Ornithologists’ Union, and in books. It is the booksellers who provide some of the literary gloss to Dresser’s most important publications were his History of the environment within which Dresser published. According the Birds of Europe (1871–1882, 1895–1896), monographs to Roberts (1895), Hatchard’s was the most ancient book- on bee-eaters (Dresser, 1884–1886) and rollers (Dresser, business in Piccadilly, dating back to 1797. It was started 1893), a manual on Palaearctic birds (Dresser 1902–1903), by John Hatchard, who had been an assistant at bookseller and on the eggs of the birds of Europe (Dresser, 1905– Thomas Payne’s exceptionally small and exceptionally 1910). Seebohm’s most important publications were on the popular ‘Literary Coffee House’. Hatchard was patronised exploration of Siberia (Seebohm, 1880, 1882), the birds of by Queen Charlotte, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Britain and their eggs (Seebohm, 1883), the geographical Canning. Hatchard was a Conservative, dressed like a bishop, distribution of waders (Seebohm, 1887a), the birds of Japan and published much religious material for Hannah More and (Seebohm, 1890), and a monograph on thrushes (Seebohm, the Evangelicals. According to Humphreys (1893), Liston, 1898–1902). Both men were characterised by combining their Charles Kemble, and other actors of the early 19th century ornithological interests with industrial careers, and by their frequented the shop. So did the Duke of Wellington—not, enormous productivity. Physically, Dresser’s History of the perhaps, at the same time. The Royal Horticultural Society Birds of Europe was by far the greatest of these products, was founded on 7 Mar.1804 at Hatchard’s, when it was amounting to more than 5,100 pages and 723 plates. As based at 187 Piccadilly (later it moved a few doors along the was common practice with such publications it was issued street). A memorial plaque commemorating this horticultural in parts (84 parts for volumes 1–8, and nine parts for the event was erected in the nineteenth century (Walford, 1878). supplement), and publication was made viable by seeking A full account of Hatchard’s is given by Humphreys (1893). paying subscribers. The 25-year span of publication, with a Roberts (1895) gives many entertaining details about Bernard 13-year pause before publication of the supplement, means Quaritch (the fi rm still in the antiquarian book business today) that a substantial number of the surviving copies lack the and other booksellers of the time. He does not mention Henry fi nal volume. Bickers & Son, publishers of Jonathan Swift and Laurence Sterne, in business till at least 1926, and purchasers of an impressive 13 copies of Dresser’s work. One pictures THE SUBSCRIBERS Dresser strolling the streets of Piccadilly, Leicester Square, and The Strand, paying calls on these literary men in order The list of subscribers printed in Volume 1 of A History to secure subscriptions. of the Birds of Europe (appearing in 1881–1882) includes 333 individuals or organisations taking 391 copies (one, the One other tenuous literary connection is through the Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society, is listed twice). subscriber Lord Kesteven who, prior to his elevation in 261 Davison: Dresser, Seebohm, and Palaearctic birds 1868, was Sir John Trollope, Member of Parliament for included members of the Backhouse, Barclay, Blanford, South Lincoln (1845–1868), and cousin to the writer Anthony Brocklebank, Buckley, Buxton, Crosfi eld, Dixon, Dodgson, Trollope. There seems no real evidence for Kesteven’s Graham, Gurney, Hanbury, Jesse, and Lucas families, as well interest in birds, none at all from Anthony Trollope, and no as Seebohms, and possibly others amongst the subscribers’ connection through publishers or booksellers. list were also members of the same network now undetected. Some of them, for example Blanford and the Gurneys, Institutions. — Only three of the subscribing institutions were also ornithologists. The Barclays and Hanburys were were in Britain, and 16 overseas. The interest of the philanthropists owning banks (Barclay’s Bank) and breweries Zoological Society of London is clear. The Leicester Literary (Truman’s) in London, Backhouse was a banker in Darlington, and Philosophical Society had been founded in 1835, and Gurney senior a banker in Norwich, Dixon a shipbuilder and advised the local council on the establishment of a museum, owner of Backhouse & Dixon, and so on. containing an impressive library (Crawforth, 2009); in 1844– 1845 this library had been the haunt of Alfred Russel Wallace An illustration of this social network is given by McCann and Henry Bates, and was clearly still purchasing important (1977), touching on benevolent institutions such as the works. The interests of the Royal Artillery Institution at Spitalfi elds Soup Society, Spitalfi elds Benevolent Society, Woolwich are less obvious; perhaps they thought Dresser’s and Spitalfi elds Association, but with a perhaps unnecessarily multi-volume work was a guide to shooting? cynical view of their motives: Eleven of the subscribing institutions were overtly zoological, “Merchants, bankers, and large businessmen were strongly and eight were of a more general university or public character, represented on these [charitable] associations. They gave though some of these (e.g., University of Christiania, Norway) considerable fi nancial aid to Spitalfi elds charities and schools, would likely have made the purchase at the instigation of supplementing the relatively limited resources of the smaller an ornithologist (in that case, Robert Collett). silk manufacturers, wholesalers, warehousemen, and small businessmen resident in the district. Aid on this scale can The ornithologists and zoologists. — There were at least be explained partly by fear of the potentially infl ammable 10 Fellows of the Royal Society, one Fellow of the Royal concentration of the poor (with an insurrectionary tradition) Society of Edinburgh, 48 Fellows of the Zoological Society virtually on the city’s borders; few things boosted subscription of London, and 20 other prominent ornithologists or other lists more than a riot. But assistance from outside was greatly zoologists, anatomists and fi sheries experts amongst Dresser’s facilitated by the peculiar religious and familial associations subscribers. These minimum fi gures (because others might of Spitalfi elds capital at this period. The two most active not have listed their affi liations) included some of the most philanthropists were [a Dresser subscriber] Thomas Fowell famous ornithologists of the day, offi ce holders in national Buxton, Evangelical, partner in Truman and Hanbury’s institutions, and men who had travelled with Dresser, with Brewery in Spitalfi elds, criminal law reformer and leader of Seebohm or with both. There were also two important artists: the anti-slavery cause after Wilberforce, and William Allen, Ernest Neale, and Joseph Wolf, both of whom contributed Quaker, partner in Allen and Hanbury’s the manufacturing some illustrations to Dresser’s work. The main artist, J. G. chemists, and treasurer of the British and Foreign School Keulemans, was not (and probably could not afford to be) Society. Allen, though he lived and worked in the city, a subscriber. regarded Spitalfi elds as his special fi eld of operations. Ornithologists based in India formed a distinct and “Allen’s and Buxton’s connections, particularly with the great prominent sub-set amongst the subscribers. They included brewing and banking empires of the Hoare, Gurney, Hanbury, John Anderson, J. Biddulph, W.T. Blanford, Allan Octavian Barclay [these four families all including Dresser subscribers], Hume, and Eugene Oates. If the East Indies are included, and Fry families (members of each of which were represented then the Marquis of Tweeddale, Gov. Ussher of Labuan, and on the three committees) opened up Spitalfi elds philanthropy F. Nicholson who wrote on the birds of Sumatra should also to the city. At least 17 of the 63 members had family or be included, though only Ussher was based there. business ties with each other, the four individuals who were active on all three committees forming a nucleus. William The social network. — Dresser’s subscription list was headed Allen was father-in-law of Cornelius Hanbury (Spitalfi elds by three members of royalty: HM The King of Italy, HRH Association and School Committee) by his fi rst wife, and The Duke of Edinburgh, and HH The Maharajah Duleep married into the Hanbury family on her death. Buxton was Singh. In all they included one ruling monarch and 28 or a nephew and partner of Sampson Hanbury, the Quaker more peers, plus some related to peers (for example the brewer, and brother-in-law of Samuel Hoare (treasurer of splendidly named Frank Wyamarus Cave-Brown-Cave), and a the Association and School Committee), Samuel and J. J. few others who were destined to become peers. Between 30 Gurney and Joseph Fry, brother of Charles Buxton and and 40 subscribers could therefore be considered members cousin of Charles Barclay, all committee members. John of the aristocracy. Sanderson, Quaker and china tea merchant, and secretary of the School Committee, was brother-in-law of Cornelius Some 30 of the 333 subscribers were linked by descent or Hanbury (by the latter’s second wife) and cousin to Richard marriage to the religious and family network of Dresser and Sanderson (Soup Society and Association). Peter Bedford, Seebohm (e.g., see Milligan, 2007). These seem to have a Quaker silk manufacturer, was an employee of, and later 262 THE RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 2013 successor in business to William Allen’s brother Joseph, a have been in competition with publishers of similar works, member of the Spitalfi elds Association.” at least one of whom had been in the business for a long time, had an enviable record of magnifi cent publications, Six Barclays were amongst the subscribers to Dresser’s and many contacts. This was John Gould (1804–1881), History of the Birds of Europe, not all necessarily related, aging but still active. Dresser had to compete for a limited but certainly including Hanbury Barclay, his son H. F. market, and fi nd subscribers who either were not subscribing Barclay, and his brother Robert Barclay. The J. H. Gurneys to a similar current or recent work, or who could afford to (father and son: the J. J. Gurney mentioned above was the subscribe to more than one. It is therefore interesting to look grandfather) were also listed, as were George, Robert and at the publications on the birds of Britain, Europe, and the S[amuel] Hanbury. So were three Buxtons—again not all Palaearctic before, and up to the completion of Dresser’s work necessarily related, but including the philanthropist Thomas in 1896 (Table 1), as these were all potential competitors, Fowell Buxton of Ware. There was one Hoare, not necessarily particularly those just completed or overlapping in time of related to the brewing family. No Allens, Bedfords, Frys or publication. The competition arose not only because they Sandersons were listed, but amongst the list of 333 subscribers appealed to the same English-speaking ornithologists, but there may have been 14 or 15 associated with this group of because of the big overlap in species composition between Spitalfi elds Quaker philanthropists, and 30 (possibly more) the avifaunas of Britain, of Europe, and of the Palaearctic: in total from this social circle throughout the country. such books covered similar ground. To demonstrate further the close ties between the social, By 1870, Gould had published or was in the course of the natural history, and the publishing interests, the second publishing an impressive array of high quality artworks, wife of Philip Henry Gosse (the sensationally popular writer beginning with A Century of Birds from the Himalayan on marine life and aquaria, who wrote for van Voorst, for Mountains (1832, with 298 subscribers), then Birds of Europe the Society for Promotion of Christian Knowledge and for (1832–1837, with 211 subscribers), the seemingly never- other publishers) was a Gurney, of the banking family. The ending Birds of Asia (1850–1883, with 162 long-suffering Gurneys were also related by marriage to another Quaker subscribers), and Birds of Great Britain (1862–1873, with subscriber and banker, Edmund Backhouse of Darlington. 468 subscribers). Of these, Birds of Europe was the most similar in scope, but nearly 40 years out of date, making There was surely a relationship between the Gurneys of Birds of Great Britain, appearing regularly and with high Norwich, and Gurney & Jackson. When the publisher van quality illustrations by Joseph Wolf and others, the most direct Voorst (purchaser of four copies of Dresser’s work) fi nally competitor. By contrast, A History of the Birds of Europe retired in 1886, he handed his business to his two assistants, was Dresser’s fi rst major publication, and it commenced Gurney and Jackson, under whose name the company while Gould’s most popular book was still being issued. In continued for several decades. Gurney & Jackson were the publishing his own major work, Dresser had yet to build publishers of some of the younger J. H. Gurney’s works. Here up the experience and loyal clientele that an apprenticeship is another link with the ornithological world, for van Voorst in publishing earlier, smaller works might have supplied. was not only one of the leading natural history publishers The intention had been for R. B. Sharpe and Dresser to and booksellers in London (Allen, 2010), but he was also the have collaborated, and Sharpe’s (1868–1871) experience publisher of The Ibis on behalf of the British Ornithologists’ with his book on the kingfi shers would have helped, but Union, including part of the period (1882–1888) for which Sharpe had had to pull out after only 13 parts had been Dresser was the Honorary Secretary. issued (Allen, 2010). Having begun to trace such connections, it is diffi cult to Effectiveness in publishing. — To compare Dresser with know where to call a halt. Seebohm’s father, Benjamin, John Gould would be to compare him with the best and was introduced to the prominent Quaker prison reformer most entrepreneurial of all the 19th century natural history Elizabeth Fry in London, in 1814. Elizabeth (née Gurney) book-machines. Like Gould, Dresser had a businessman’s was the aunt of John Henry Gurney senior, one of Dresser’s approach with rigorous management of various interlocking subscribers. Henry Seebohm, training for business, learned processes (artwork, writing, lithography, printing of text and about steel manufacture from a distant relative in Sheffi eld, plates, outsourcing reproduction of the plates to Hanhart’s Daniel Doncaster. When Dresser published, C. Doncaster and the text to Taylor & Francis, as well as maintaining of Sheffi eld (a son?) was one of the subscribers. In 1872, the subscribers’ lists and addresses up-to-date, encouraging a year after Dresser began publication, Seebohm travelled further sales and ensuring prompt distribution). These to Constantinople and Smyrna, and Ahmed Pasha Vevik of interlocked in the serial dependence of each step on the Constantinople became a subscriber. It seems evident that others—timing, sequence, and effi ciency, as mistakes or delay Seebohm was actively recruiting subscribers to Dresser’s in any one step would lead to knock-on delays elsewhere work wherever he travelled. And so it goes on. in the chain. Finding the subscribers. — Dresser would have had to secure Unlike Gould, Dresser had a much smaller team (permitted enough subscribers to make his book a viable publishing by his reliance on a single artist, and by outsourcing more proposition—family, professional friends, members of his steps of the lithography process). In spite of this, and in ornithological network. In fi nding subscribers, he would spite of having a separate business to conduct (whereas 263 Davison: Dresser, Seebohm, and Palaearctic birds Table 1. The sequence of major 19th century publications on the birds of Britain, Europe and the Palaearctic that provided potential competition with Dresser for purchasers: the number and quality of coloured plates had a powerful infl uence on sales. Author(s) Date Title Illustrations Selby, P. J. 1821–1833 Illustrations of British Ornithology (2 vols.) 214 plates Gould, J. 1832–1837 The Birds of Europe (5 vols.) 449 plates MacGillivray, W. 1837–1840 A History of British Birds (5 vols.) woodcuts Yarrell, W. B. 1837–1843 A History of British Birds (3 vols.) 520 woodcuts Morris, F. O. & B. Fawcett 1851–1857 A History of British Birds (6 vols.) 358 plates Bree, C. R. 1858–1863 A History of the Birds of Europe, not observed in the British Isles (4 vols.) 238 plates Gould, J. 1862–1873 The Birds of Great Britain (5 vols.) 449 plates Dresser, H. E. 1871–1882 A History of the Birds of Europe (8 vols.) 634 plates Seebohm, H. 1883–1885 A History of British Birds (4 vols.) 68 plates Lilford, Lord 1885–1898 Coloured Illustrations of the Birds of the British Islands (7 vols.) 421 plates Sharpe, R. B. 1894–1897 A Hand-Book to the Birds of Great Britain (4 vols.) 124 plates Dresser, H. E. 1895–1896 Supplement to A History of the Birds of Europe (1 vol.) 89 plates book production was Gould’s main business), Dresser’s work monarchs plus two other members of royalty and 90 peers, reached a similar and sometimes superior level of artistic in comparison with one monarch and 28 peers for Dresser’s skill, physical size and impressiveness, and exceeded most History; but his total subscriber profi le is still impressive, of Gould’s works in technical content. Furthermore, unlike and in terms of fi nancial support the discrepancy is not great Gould, Dresser had a much better fi eld knowledge of the birds (Gould’s 468 subscribers, versus Dresser’s 333 subscribers he was dealing with, and produced a substantial, scientifi c for 391 copies), with total revenue about three quarters of text. Even if much of it was the reprinting of quotations Gould’s. For further comparison, Gould’s fi ve-volume The from already published sources, he was doing an exercise Birds of Europe (1832–1837) contained 449 plates (50, 99, in compilation and analysis that produced far greater depth 93, 103, and 104 plates respectively in volumes. 1–5), but of information than was found in Gould’s works. each plate was accompanied by just a single page of text, and the total amount of text including preface and introduction Unlike Gould, Dresser’s major industrial business (dealing was little more than one-tenth of that prepared by Dresser. fi rst in timber and then in metals) was probably able to provide For that work Gould had 211 subscribers, including three some fi nancial support, storage space, and management monarchs (of Great Britain, Austria, and Prussia) and an experience. One could say that Dresser was not better than hereditary Grand Duke (of Tuscany), and 207 others. Gould, who produced many more books, some of them more magnifi cent, in larger format, with exquisite plates (e.g., on the birds of paradise), but Dresser’s standard of achievement DRESSER’S PLACE IN was certainly very similar, and provenly so in all aspects of the ORNITHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT process (acquisition of subscribers, writing, commissioning artwork, printing, lithography, and distribution). Not least of Range of achievements. — The comparison above is merely Dresser’s achievements was keeping on schedule, with one between the History of the Birds of Europe and a selection part about every seven weeks on average, consisting of an of Gould’s works. Dresser (1884–1886, 1893) also produced average eight plates and 56 pages (there was some variation in two folio books on bee-eaters and rollers, and altogether size and content of the parts, especially those destined to form he wrote approximately 7,000 pages of text (in books and the illustration-free Volume 1). This means that Keulemans journals) and published more than 780 coloured lithographs. was producing one picture every six days, and Dresser was James Fisher characterised Dresser as a “bee-eater and roller producing text at the rate equivalent to one printed page per expert” (Fisher 1966), but in fact his North American and day (around 600 words) for 11 years as well as fulfi lling European fi eld experience would have limited his exposure all the fi nancial and management responsibilities. Stamina to these as living birds. Reasons to choose bee-eaters and and consistency must have been among his prime traits; rollers as the subjects of his next books could have been the sustained effort and timely completion are particularly that R. B. Sharpe had already covered the kingfi shers; that impressive given that the withdrawal of Sharpe after only 13 all three families are (and were) adjacent in the taxonomic parts must have been a severe blow, halving the manpower sequence of birds; and that there might have been a possibility available to work on the text. of collaborating with Sharpe. Dresser is likely also to have been infl uenced by these being manageable-sized groups Through business, travel, and his social network, Dresser (no more than 30 or so species to be covered per family), would have known many of his subscribers personally. He brightly coloured (therefore very attractive subjects for could not match Gould’s pulling power in terms of names and illustration), and families that had not been treated by Gould. status. Allen (2010) claims 12 monarchs and over 100 peers High quality plates by Keulemans should therefore have had for Gould’s Birds of Great Britain, although I count only two appeal to purchasers. 264 THE RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 2013 Dresser was the single biggest factor in establishing a preview in late 1892, and had accepted the appointment Keulemans in British bird art, by providing consistent, by 31 Dec.1892 that year (Johnson, 2012), arriving in Tring long-term, high profi le, dependable employment over 11 to take up the post in Apr.1893. years. Although Keulemans had already illustrated Sharpe (1868–1871), with some resultant criticism of the colouring, Although Günther is indicated as the man fi rst bringing he might have found it much more diffi cult to break into Hartert to London (and it was he who invited Seebohm the profession in Britain if he had had to rely on small, [1881] to contribute the volume on thrushes and warblers), occasional jobs for a range of different employers. Dresser the Catalogue of Birds in the British Museum was under did not prevent Keulemans from taking on additional work, the editorship of Sharpe, who had begun the collaboration under their non-exclusive arrangement, but in total Dresser’s on History of Birds of Europe with Dresser. Thus there support represented a substantial proportion (at least one were many pre-existing links between this small group of sixth) of Keulemans’s lifetime output, more than any other ornithologists. By early 1892 when he fi rst met Hartert, employer. Keulemans’s second biggest task was for Seebohm Rothschild could judge his quality from Hartert’s catalogue (1898–1902), commissioned and paid for before Seebohm’s of birds in the Senckenburg Museum, and from his Volume death, and other large bodies of work were commissioned 16 of the Catalogue (W. Rothschild, 1934). Rothschild would by Lord Lilford, Frederic du Cane Godman, and Osbert then have wanted to test Hartert’s fi eld abilities, and for this Salvin. The plates commissioned by Dresser have seldom the important connection was with Hartert’s sponsor von been reproduced in later works, the one main example being Berlepsch, via Dresser, rather than with Günther. in J. L. Bonhote’s The Birds of Britain (1905) whose 100 plates were “selected by Mr. H. E. Dresser” from the History In their approach to nomenclature, however, there was a of the Birds of Europe. clear distinction between Hartert, Rothschild, Jordan, and Seebohm on one hand, and Dresser (and Alfred Newton) on Because of his linguistic abilities, Dresser was able to the other. The volume on thrushes and warblers (Seebohm, introduce key Russian, German, and Latin publications to 1881) was Seebohm’s fi rst extensive use of trinomials, but an English-speaking scientifi c audience. From scattered he used a third name then for intergrades between what he parts of the original publication by Eversmann, he managed considered to be full species (for example, intermediates to consolidate a complete reprint, no full set being known between Monticola cyanus and M. solitaria were named when he began. In the pages of The Ibis he drew attention by him M. cyanus solitaria). Seebohm has been identifi ed to continental European publications as they appeared and, by Mayr (1959) as the fi rst author to describe, and clearly later, he produced translations of foreign language works by explain the differences between, phyletic evolution within ornithologists such as Buturlin, Severzoff, and Taczanowski, a single population versus the differentiation of populations and helped them to publish in English-language periodicals. in geographical isolation. This was in Chapter 3 of his work on the geographical distribution of Charadriidae (Seebohm, Dresser, Seebohm, and their role in the Hartert and Jordan 1887a), and was seen by Mayr as a key step in development tradition. — It was Albert Günther who fi rst brought Ernst of the biological species concept. Nevertheless, at this date Hartert to London, in 1891, to work on the swifts and Seebohm was quite inconsistent. He accepted interbreeding goatsuckers for volume 16 of the Catalogue of Birds in the as evidence against species status (Seebohm, 1887b), but British Museum (W. Rothschild, 1934). Rothschild fi rst met used binomials for subspecies (or races, using the terms Hartert in the London offi ces of Dresser in early 1892, when interchangeably), and accepted races within races (e.g., the it was agreed that Rothschild and Baron H. H. C. L. von ‘race’ Phasianus formosanus within the ‘race’ Phasianus Berlepsch would jointly fi nance an expedition to Venezuela torquatus; Seebohm, 1888). It was his written understanding and the West Indies (W. Rothschild, 1934; M. Rothschild of the biological processes expressed in descriptive text, [1983] implies that von Berlepsch was also present, which rather than his use of the trinomial naming system, that is probably correct though W. Rothschild [1934] did not aligned Seebohm with Hartert and Jordan. Furthermore, like explicitly say so. It seems likely that Dresser was hosting Hartert and Jordan, this understanding was based on extensive von Berlepsch during his stay.). Both Dresser and Rothschild, travel, observations in the fi eld, examination of long series because of their German ornithological contacts, education, of specimens in other museums, and accumulation of his travel, and knowledge of the language, would have known own specimen collection to illustrate as fully as possible the von Berlepsch well, as he was similarly an avid bird skin type and extent of geographical variation in plumage. This collector as well as a proponent of bird conservation through was exactly the working method promulgated by Rothschild, nest boxes and winter provisioning, and an advocate of birds Hartert, and Jordan. for pest management in forestry. It was then left to Hartert and Jordan to align the use of Hartert travelled to the West Indies from 1 May to early trinomials with the understanding of geographical variation September in 1892, then returned to England and took and isolation (e.g., Jordan, 1905), reconciling the British up duties as Director of the Zoological Museum at Tring. usage with that in Germany (the Deutsche Ornithologische He then visited Germany, and, introduced to Karl Jordan Gesellschaft adopted trinomials in 1884) and America (the apparently at von Berlepsch’s residence Schloss Seebach American Ornithologists’ Union adopted trinomials in 1886), near Hannover-Münden, recommended Jordan to Rothschild and applying the system consistently to whole continents. The as curator of insects. Jordan was invited to Tring, visited for long and productive working careers of Hartert and Jordan, 265 Davison: Dresser, Seebohm, and Palaearctic birds Table 2. The sequence of major publications by Dresser and Seebohm. Date Dresser Seebohm 1871–1882 History of the Birds of Europe 1880 Siberia in Europe 1881 Catalogue of Birds in BM (Vol. 5) 1882 Siberia in Asia 1883–1885 History of British Birds 1884–1886 Monograph of the Bee-eaters 1887 Biogeography of Charadriidae 1890 Birds of the Japanese Empire 1893 Monograph of the Rollers 1895–1896 Birds of Europe, Supplement 1896 Coloured Figures of Eggs 1898–1902 Monograph of the Thrushes 1902–1903 Manual of Palaearctic Birds 1905–1910 Eggs of the Birds of Europe based on the enormous Rothschild collections (M. Rothschild, Hartert, to bring Hartert and Jordan to Britain. Eventually, 1983; Johnson, 2012) enabled their infl uence to extend into these two men undermined Dresser’s intellectual position on and through the period of the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis the signifi cance of geographical variation, pushing forward (Mayr, 1955, 1959), so that these concepts became part of the trinomial taxonomic work for the next 40–60 years. mainstream of evolutionary thinking. Jordan’s infl uence was felt most strongly through his revision of group after group Seebohm evidently helped to secure subscribers that made of beetles and butterfl ies (Johnson, 2012), while Hartert’s Dresser’s classic work fi nancially viable, and in doing so infl uence was felt most strongly through his many papers on he ensured that the treatment of geographical variation locality-based bird collections, and his taxonomic review of that he came not to accept was in fact fully exposed to the entire Palaearctic avifauna (Hartert, 1903–1923). the scientific audience of the day. His field experience and observations throughout the 1870s must have been I wish to suggest that the parallel series of books by available to Dresser while writing. Seebohm documented Dresser and Seebohm were, not a debate, but the published his own theoretical views on nomenclature, evolution, and manifestation of a continuing scientifi c dialogue between biogeography (Seebohm, 1887a, 1893), and made some these two friends and with the scientific community of astute observations on ecology (a term fi rst coined in 1858). the day, in which they each used the family monograph Through his fi eldwork and his books, like Dresser, Seebohm and the continent-wide zoogeographical review to set out pushed progressively eastwards so as to enlarge his scope their conclusions (Table 2). In doing so they manifested to the whole of the Palaearctic. The dialogue continued their different philosophies, Seebohm attaining far- beyond the death of Seebohm in 1895, with the posthumous reaching conclusions from his understanding of biological publication of his monograph on thrushes (1898–1902), and populations and processes, Dresser focusing on descriptions with Dresser’s (1902–1903) manual. Although Seebohm died of morphological types. only three years after the arrival of Hartert and Jordan at Tring, his were the intellectual views that prevailed, leading No comparative analysis of their opinions has ever been done, Mayr (1959) to write of the ‘Seebohm–Hartert School’ of but Dresser and Seebohm both performed critical functions opinion (Haffer, 2008). in the development of the Palaearctic scope of ornithology. Dresser’s infl uence was in setting out the baseline taxonomy In this interplay of ideas, I argue that the social context, in its of all European birds, according to the traditional view that broadest sense, was not only relevant but was an important each geographical variant was a distinct species. This was factor in enabling Dresser and Seebohm to set out their ideas. the key signifi cance of the History of the Birds of Europe Their background enabled them to travel; to learn languages; (Dresser, 1871–1882), and the reason for recognising it as to devote large amounts of ‘leisure’ time to intensive work a classic work. He updated this so far as European birds that fascinated them and engaged their minds; to secure were concerned (Dresser, 1895–1896), and then extended the subscribers for their publications; and to interact with the review to the whole of the Palaearctic (Dresser, 1902–1903). other key fi gures who were, like themselves, offi ce holders Reviews of pan-continental scope were not the norm for the in the most infl uential scientifi c organisations of the day. It day; it set out the background against which taxonomic debate is very striking that such different intellectual conclusions could proceed. In human terms, Dresser secured the career on the signifi cance of geographical variation should have of Keulemans as the major scientifi c ornithological artist and been reached by two men who had so many similarities in illustrator over a period of 40 years and helped, even if in a their upbringing and circumstances. small way, by effecting the meeting between Rothschild and 266 THE RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 2013 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Hartert, E., 1903–1923. Die Vögel der Paläarktischen Fauna. Systematische Ubersicht der in Europa, Nord-Asien und This paper is a contribution to Supplement No. 29 of the der Mittelmeerregion vorkommenden Vögel. 3 volumes. R. Friedländer & Sohn, Berlin. ii + xxiv + xii + 2328 pp. Raffl es Bulletin of Zoology, marking the eightieth birthday of the Earl of Cranbrook (V). I thank Tony Kirke Swann, Humphreys, A. L., 1893. Piccadilly Bookmen. Memorials of the formerly of Wheldon & Wesley, Ltd., Hitchin (the town where House of Hatchard. Hatchards, London. viii + 92 pp. Henry Seebohm’s brother Frederic and descendants settled), Johnson, K., 2012. Ordering Life. Karl Jordan and the Naturalist and Allen M. Hale of Buteo Books, Arrington, Virginia, both Tradition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. x + of whom unwittingly stimulated my interest in this topic. 376 pp. Jordan, K., 1905. Der Gegensatz zwischen geographischer und nichtgeographischer Variation. Zeitschrift für wissenschaftliche LITERATURE CITED Zoologie, 83: 151–210. Mayr, E., 1955. Karl Jordan’s contribution to current concepts Allen, D. E., 2010. Books and Naturalists. New Naturalist series, in systematics and evolution. Transactions of the Royal No. 112. Collins, London. 512 pp. Entomological Society of London, 107: 45–66. Anker, J. 1938. Bird Books and Bird Art: An Outline of the Literary Mayr, E., 1959. Isolation as an evolutionary factor. Proceedings of History and Iconography of Descriptive Ornithology. 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