Gertrude Keeley (–1868)

Book is not in terribly good condition, but the pages are intact, and the cover is legible if a bit worn. Each bird is described in a prose selection of 1 or 2 pages, and then there is a drawing, colored with a limited palette, and a poem about said bird.

The writing is clearly intended for children. The text is not simple to read, but the tone is sweet and instructive, as an adult would speak to a child. Example:

"The White-Eyed Vireo is the family scold. He doesn't care a bit what you think of him, but if you go too near his nest he tells you just what he thinks of you in the crossest kind of way. He is said to be a good mimic, and sometimes when he is tired of scolding he amuses himself by singing the notes of all the other birds he knows, one after the other, just as fast as ever he can."… (lisätietoja)