Natural History Collection

Natural history is a domain of inquiry involving organisms including animals, fungi and plants in their environment; leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study.

A person who studies natural history is called a naturalist or natural historian. Natural history encompasses scientific research but is not limited to it. It involves the systematic study of any category of natural objects or organisms.

The idea of natural history dates from studies in the ancient Greco-Roman world and the mediaeval Arabic world, through to European Renaissance naturalists working in near isolation, today's natural history is a cross discipline umbrella of many specialty sciences; e.g., geobiology has a strong multi-disciplinary nature.

The meaning of the English term "natural history" (a calque of the Latin historia naturalis) has narrowed progressively with time; while, by contrast, the meaning of the related term "nature" has widened. In antiquity, "natural history" covered essentially anything connected with nature, or which used materials drawn from nature, such as Pliny the Elder's encyclopedia of this title, published circa 77 to 79 AD, which covers astronomy, geography, humans and their technology, medicine, and superstition, as well as animals and plants.

Medieval European academics considered knowledge to have two main divisions: the humanities (primarily what is now known as classics) and divinity, with science studied largely through texts rather than observation or experiment. The study of nature revived in the Renaissance, and quickly became a third branch of academic knowledge, itself divided into descriptive natural history and natural philosophy, the analytical study of nature.

In modern terms, natural philosophy roughly corresponded to modern physics and chemistry, while natural history included the biological and geological sciences. The two were strongly associated. During the heyday of the gentleman scientists, many people contributed to both fields, and early papers in both were commonly read at professional science society meetings such as the Royal Society and the French Academy of Sciences - both founded during the seventeenth century. Natural history had been encouraged by practical motives, such as Linnaeus' aspiration to improve the economic condition of Sweden. Similarly, the Industrial Revolution prompted the development of geology to help find useful mineral deposits.

References:

Koerner, Lisbet (1999). Linnaeus: Nature and Nation. Harvard: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-09745-2.

Barry Barnes and Steven Shapin, "Natural order: historical studies of scientific culture", Sage, 1979.

Available Books

Book Title	Date
A Journal of Travels into the Arkansa Territory	1821
A Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort in Hudson's Bay	1795
A Narrative of Four Journeys into the Country of the Hottentots	1789
A Natural History of Birds Vol. 1	1731
A Natural History of Birds Vol. 2	1731
A Natural History of Birds Vol. 3	1731
A New Voyage and Description of the Isthmus of America	1699
A Review of the Primates Vol. 1	1913
A Review of the Primates Vol. 2	1913
A Review of the Primates Vol. 3	1913
A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf	1916
A Treatise on the Culture of the Tobacco Plant	1779
A Voyage Towards the South Pole	1825
A Voyage Towards the South Pole Vol. 1	1777
A Voyage Towards the South Pole Vol. 2	1777
Abbildungen zur Naturgeschichte Brasiliens	1822
Africa, Being an Accurate Description	1670
African Scenery and Animals	1804
America: Being an Accurate Description of the Nevv VVorld	1670
American Food and Game Fishes	1902
American Game Fishes	1892
American Ornithology Vol. 1	1825
American Ornithology Vol. 2	1828
American Ornithology Vol. 3	1828
American Ornithology Vol. 4	1833
Amerika: eine allgemeine Landeskund	1894
Amusement Microscopique Vol. 1	1764
Amusement Microscopique Vol. 2	1764
Amusement Microscopique Vol. 3	1764
An Account of the Botanic Garden in the Island of St. Vincent	1825
An Historical and Descriptive Account of the Peruvian Sheep	1811
Animate Creation Vol. 1	1885
Animate Creation Vol. 2	1885
Animate Creation Vol. 3	1885
Arcana, or, the Museum of Natural History	1811
Arctic Zoology Vol. 1	1784
Arctic Zoology Vol. 2	1784
Atlas de Historia fisica y Politica de Chile Vol. 1	1854
Atlas de Historia fisica y Politica de Chile Vol. 2	1854
Atlas of Zoogeography	1911
Atlas Pintoresco e Historico De Los Estados Unidos Mexicanos	1885
Aves Hawaiienses : the Birds of the Sandwich Islands	1890
Beitrage zur Naturgeschichte von Brasilien Vol. 1	1825
Beitrage zur Naturgeschichte von Brasilien Vol. 2	1826
Beitrage zur Naturgeschichte von Brasilien Vol. 3	1830
Beitrage zur Naturgeschichte von Brasilien Vol. 4	1832
Bemerkungen aus den hochsten Schweizer-Alpen	1840
Biologia Centrali-Americana Atlas Vol. 1	1889
Biologia Centrali-Americana Atlas Vol. 2	1889
Biologia Centrali-Americana Atlas Vol. 3	1889
Biologia Centrali-Americana Atlas Vol. 4	1889
Biologia Centrali-Americana Vol. 1	1889
Biologia Centrali-Americana Vol. 2	1889
Biologia Centrali-Americana Vol. 3	1889
Birds of Britain	1907
Birds of New Mexico	1928
Birds of New York Vol. 1	1910
Birds of New York Vol. 2	1914
Botanical Reminiscences in British Guiana	1876
Brazil and the Brazilians	1857
Buenos Ayres, and the Provinces of the Rio de la Plata	1838
Canoe and Camp Life in British Guiana	1876
Casparis Barlaei, Rerum per Octennium in Brasilia	1647
Catalogue of the Plants in the Government Botanic Garden	1876
Catlin's Indian Portfolio	1844
Die zweite Deutsche Nordpolarfahrt Vol. 1	1873
Die zweite Deutsche Nordpolarfahrt Vol. 2	1873
Egyptian Birds	1909
Elf Landschafts-Ansichten von Java	1853
Esplorazione delle Regioni Equatoriali	1854
Excursions in Madeira and Porto Santo	1825
Exploration of Mount Kina Balu, North Borneo	1893
Explorations in South-West Africa	1864
Fifteen Thousand Miles on the Amazon and its Tributaries	1878
Flora Fossilis Arctica Vol. 1	1868
Flora Fossilis Arctica Vol. 2	1871
Flora Fossilis Arctica Vol. 3	1874
Flora Fossilis Arctica Vol. 4	1877
Flora Fossilis Arctica Vol. 5	1878
Flora Fossilis Arctica Vol. 6	1880
Flora Fossilis Arctica Vol. 7	1883
Geographie Vivante, ou, Tableaux Raisonnes	1821
Grouse and Grouse Moors	1910
Heligoland as an Ornithological Observatory	1895
Hints on Ornamental Gardening	1823
Histoire de la Laponie	1678
Historia Naturalis Brasiliae	1648
History of the Indian Archipelago Vol. 1	1820
History of the Indian Archipelago Vol. 2	1820
History of the Indian Archipelago Vol. 3	1820
Humming Birds, Described and Illustrated	1862
Illustrations of Japan	1822
Illustrations of the Birds of Jamaica	1849
Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae, or Parrots	1832
Interesting Selections from Animated Nature Vol. 1	1809
Interesting Selections from Animated Nature Vol. 2	1809
Joannis Schefferi Argentoratensis Lapponia	1674
Joannis Schefferi von Strassburg Lappland	1675
Journal of a Residence in Colombia Vol. 1	1825
Journal of a Residence in Colombia Vol. 2	1825
Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia Vol. 1	1845
Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia Vol. 2	1845
Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in Australia Vol. 1	1841
Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in Australia Vol. 2	1841
Kaladilt Pelleserkangoaeta Hans Ededib	1837
Letters from the Canary Islands	1804
Matabele Land and the Victoria Falls	1881
Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee	1819
Mouse Reveals Atlantis	1897
Museum de la Jeunesse	1809
Narrative, of a Five Years Expedition Vol. 1	1796
Narrative, of a Five Years Expedition Vol. 2	1796
Narrative of a Journey to the Shores of the Polar Sea	1823
Narrative of a Second Expedition to the Shores of the Polar Sea	1828
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia Vol. 1	1827
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia Vol. 2	1827
Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan Vol. 1	1856
Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan Vol. 2	1856
Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan Vol. 3	1856
Narrative of the Surveying Voyage of H.M.S. Fly Vol. 1	1847
Narrative of the Surveying Voyage of H.M.S. Fly Vol. 2	1847
Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition Vol. 1	1845
Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition Vol. 2	1845
Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition Vol. 3	1845
Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition Vol. 4	1845
Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition Vol. 5	1845
Narratives of South America	1836
Nature and Art	1867
Neu-Seeland	1863
New Illustration of the Sexual System of Carolus von Linnaeus	1807
New Zealand : Its Physical Geography, Geology, and Natural History	1867
Niagara Falls, Nature's Throne	1907
North American Indians Vol. 1	1913
North American Indians Vol. 2	1913
Notes of a Military Reconnaissance	1848
Observations on the Neilgherries	1834
Ocean Gardens	1857
On the Naturalised Weeds and Other Plants in South Australia	1879
On the Urari : the Deadly Arrow-Poison of the Macusis	1879
Oriental Field Sports Vol. 1	1807
Oriental Field Sports Vol. 2	1808
Our Earth and It's Story	1893
Pacific Railroad Survey Reports Vol. 1	1855
Pacific Railroad Survey Reports Vol. 2	1857
Pacific Railroad Survey Reports Vol. 3	1856
Pacific Railroad Survey Reports Vol. 4	1856
Pacific Railroad Survey Reports Vol. 5	1856
Pacific Railroad Survey Reports Vol. 6	1857
Pacific Railroad Survey Reports Vol. 7	1857
Pacific Railroad Survey Reports Vol. 8	1857
Pacific Railroad Survey Reports Vol. 9	1858
Pacific Railroad Survey Reports Vol. 10	1859
Pacific Railroad Survey Reports Vol. 11	1855
Pacific Railroad Survey Reports Vol. 12, Pt. 1	1860
Pacific Railroad Survey Reports Vol. 12, Pt. 2	1860
Parrots in Captivity Vol. 1	1883
Parrots in Captivity Vol. 2	1883
Parrots in Captivity Vol. 3	1883
Partridges and Partridge Manors	1911
Pheasants and Covert Shooting	1913
Picturesque Views on the River Niger	1840
Plinius Secundus Naturalis Historiae	1469
Reise in das innere Nord-America Vol. 1	1839
Reise in das innere Nord-America Vol. 2	1841
Reise in das innere Nord-America Vol. 3	1839
Reise in das innere Nord-America Vol. 4	1839
Reise nach Abessinien, den Gala-Landern	1868
Reise nach Brasilien Vol. 1	1820
Reise nach Brasilien Vol. 2	1820
Reisen in Britisch-Guiana Vol. 1	1847
Reisen in Britisch-Guiana Vol. 2	1847
Reisen in Britisch-Guiana Vol. 3	1848
Reize naar Brazilie Vol. 1	1822
Reize naar Brazilie Vol. 2	1822
Results of a Scientific Mission to India and High Asia Atlas	1866
Results of a Scientific Mission to India and High Asia Vol. 1	1861
Results of a Scientific Mission to India and High Asia Vol. 2	1862
Results of a Scientific Mission to India and High Asia Vol. 3	1863
Results of a Scientific Mission to India and High Asia Vol. 4	1866
Richard Schomburgk's Travels in British Guiana Vol. 1	1922
Richard Schomburgk's Travels in British Guiana Vol. 2	1922
Schetsen van Afrika's Westkust	1861
Sea and Land	1887
Sketches From Many Shores Visited by H.M.S. Challenger	1878
Sketches on the Nipisaguit	1860
South Australia Illustrated	1847
Souvenir View Book of the White Mountains	1923
Stanley & Africa	1890
Stanley's Story	1890
Sudsee-Erinnerungen	1883
Tagebuch einer Reise vom Mississippi	1858
Temple of Flora	1812
The Arabian Horse	1894
The Atlas of Physical Geography	1850
The Birds of Tierra del Fuego	1907
The Botany of Captain Beechey's Voyage	1841
The Cabinet of Natural History & American Rural Sports Vol. 1	1830
The Cabinet of Natural History & American Rural Sports Vol. 2	1832
The Cabinet of Natural History & American Rural Sports Vol. 3	1833
The Celebrated Dogs of America	1879
The Falls of Niagara	1870
The Flowers and Gardens of Japan	1908
The Flowers and Gardens of Madeira	1909
The Gardens of England	1858
The Highlands of Central India	1871
The History of Barbados	1848
The History of Lapland	1674
The History of Lapland	1704
The Kafirs Illustrated in a Series of Drawings	1849
The Living Animals of the World Vol. 1	1902
The Living Animals of the World Vol. 2	1902
The Living World	1889
The Mastodon Giganteus of North America	1852
The Natural and Aboriginal History of Tennessee	1823
The Natural History of Norway	1755
The Natural History of Quadrupeds Vol. 1	1811
The Natural History of Quadrupeds Vol. 2	1814
The Natural History of the Fishes of Guiana Vol. 1	1841
The New Zealanders Illustrated	1847
The Palm Tree	1864
The Peaks & Valleys of the Alps	1868
The Rifle and the Hound in Ceylon	1854
The Savage World	1891
The Story of Our Planet	1898
The Three Voyages of Captain James Cook Round the World Vol. 1	1821
The Three Voyages of Captain James Cook Round the World Vol. 2	1821
The Three Voyages of Captain James Cook Round the World Vol. 3	1821
The Three Voyages of Captain James Cook Round the World Vol. 4	1821
The Three Voyages of Captain James Cook Round the World Vol. 5	1821
The Three Voyages of Captain James Cook Round the World Vol. 6	1821
The Three Voyages of Captain James Cook Round the World Vol. 7	1821
The Zoology of Captain Beechey's Voyage	1839
Three Wonderlands of the American West	1912
To the Victoria Falls of the Zambesi	1876
Travels in Brazil	1820
Travels in Lycia, Milyas, and the Cibyratis Vol. 1	1847
Travels in Lycia, Milyas, and the Cibyratis Vol. 2	1847
Travels in the Central Parts of Indo-China Vol. 1	1864
Travels in the Central Parts of Indo-China Vol. 2	1864
Travels in Various Parts of Peru Vol. 1	1830
Travels in Various Parts of Peru Vol. 2	1830
Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America	1781
Upland Game Birds and Water Fowl	1877
Utazas Kalifornia deli Reszeiben	1860
Verzeichniss der auf Seiner Reise in Nord-Amerika	1862
Vick's Flower and Vegetable Garden	1878
Victoria Falls, Zambesi River	1865
View of Nature in All Climates	1852
Views in the Himalayas	1852
Views of Nature	1850
Views of Niagara	1831
Vom Tropischen Tieflande zum Ewigen Schnee	1892
Voyage a Meroe - Atlas	1823
Voyage au Bresil Atlas	1822
Voyage de La Perouse Autour du Monde Atlas	1797
Voyage de La Perouse Autour du Monde Vol. 1	1797
Voyage de La Perouse Autour du Monde Vol. 2	1797
Voyage de La Perouse Autour du Monde Vol. 3	1797
Voyage de La Perouse Autour du Monde Vol. 4	1797
Voyage d'Exploration en Indo-Chine [Atlas-Vol. 1]	1873
Voyage d'Exploration en Indo-Chine [Atlas-Vol. 2]	1873
Voyage d'Exploration en Indo-Chine [Text-Vol. 1]	1873
Voyage d'Exploration en Indo-Chine [Text-Vol. 2]	1873
Voyage Pittoresque Autour de Monde	1822
Voyage Pittoresque et Historique au Bresil Vol. 1	1834
Voyage Pittoresque et Historique au Bresil Vol. 2	1835
Voyage Pittoresque et Historique au Bresil Vol. 3	1839
Voyages au Soudan Oriental et Dans l'Afrique Septentrionale	1852
Vues des Cordilleres et Monumens de l'Amerique	1813
Waarachtige en aen-merkens-waardige Historie van Lapland	1682
Wild life in Canara and Ganjam	1885
Wild Life on the Fjelds of Norway	1861
Wild Sports of the World	1862
Zoological Researches in Java	1824