Skip to main content
Log in

The Ibis: Transformations in a Twentieth Century British Natural History Journal

  • Published:
Journal of the History of Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The contents of the British Ornithologists' Union's journal, The Ibis, during the first half of the 20th century illustrates some of the transformations that have taken place in the naturalist tradition. Although later generations of ornithologists described these changes as logical and progressive, their historical narratives had more to do with legitimizing the infiltration of the priorities of evolutionary theory, ecology, and ethology than analyzing the legacy of the naturalist tradition on its own terms. Despite ornithologists' claim that the journal's increasing focus on "biology" represented a natural development after the preliminary phase of systematics and geographical ornithology, in fact a small group campaigned to bring the priorities of population ecology, behavior, and selection theory into the journal and British ornithology more generally. The problems involved in this transition highlight the importance of methodological and institutional context in determining and reinforcing appropriate research programs for ornithologists. Comparing the discipline-building rhetoric of moderns with the contents of the past illustrates how modern evaluations of 19th century research programs have been enmeshed in ornithologists' endeavors to forge new identities for traditional disciplines.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abir-Am,P.G.1982.''Essay Review:How Scientists View their Heroes:Some Remarks on the Mechanism of Myth Construction.''Journal of the History of Biology 15:281-315.

  • Abir-Am,P.G.and Elliott,C.A.(eds.).1999.''Commemorative Practices in Science: Historical Perspectives on the Politics of Collective Memory.''Osiris Volume 14.

  • Ainley,M.G.1985.From Natural History to Avian Biology:Canadian Ornithology, 1860-1950.Ph.D Dissertation:McGill University.

  • Ainley,M.G.1993.Restless Energy:A Biography of William Rowan,1891-1957.Vehicule Press.

  • Allen,D.L.1976.The Naturalist in Britain:A Social History.London: Allen Lane.

  • Allen,D.L.1996.''The Struggle for Specialist Journals:Natural History in the British Periodical Market in the First Half of the 19th Century.''Archives of Natural History 23: 107-123.

  • Allen,D.L.1998.''On Parallel Lines:Natural History and Biology from the Late Victorian Period.''Archives of Natural History 25:361-371.

  • Bannerman,D.A.1924.''Letter to the Editor.''The Ibis 11th Series 6:816-818.

  • Allen,D.L.1931.''Review of 'Glover M Allen 's The Birds of Liberia.'''The Ibis 13th Series 1: 593.

  • Barclay-Smith,P.1959.''The British Contribution to Bird Protection.''The Ibis 101: 115-122.

  • Barrow,M.V.1998.A Passion for Birds:American Ornithology after Audubon. Princeton University Press.

  • Bates,G.L.1931.''On Geographical Variation within the Limits of West Africa:Some Generalizations.''The Ibis 13th Series 1:255-302.

  • Bensaude-Vincent,B.1996.''Between History and Memory:Centennial and Bicen-tennial Images of Lavoisier.''Isis 87:481-499.

  • Bowler,P.J.1996.Life 's Splendid Drama:Evolutionary Biology and the Reconstruction of Life 's Ancestry,1860-1940.University of Chicago Press.

  • Browne,J.1983.The Secular Ark:Studies in the History of Biogeography.Yale University Press.

  • Browne,J.1996.''Biogeography and Empire.''In N.Jardine, J.A.Secord and E.C. Spary (eds.),Cultures of Natural History.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp.305-321.

  • Burkhardt,F.1974.''England and Scotland:The Learned Societies.''In T.F.Glick, (ed.),The Comparative Reception of Darwinism.Austin: University of Texas Press, pp.32-74.

  • Cain,J.1993.''Common Problems and Cooperative Solutions:Organizational Activity in Evolutionary Studies,1936-1947.''Isis 84:1-25.

  • Cain,J.1994.''Ernst Mayr as Community Architect:Launching the Society for the Study of Evolution and the Journal Evolution.''Biology and Philosophy 9:387-427.

  • Camerini,J.1993.''Evolution,Biogeography,and Maps:an Early History of Wallace 's Line.''Isis 84:700-727.

  • Cox,D.1979.Charles Elton and the Emergence of Modern Ecology.Dissertation: Washington University.

  • Crocroft,P.1991.Elton 's Ecologists:A History of the Bureau of Animal Population. University of Chicago Press.

  • Davis,W.E.Jr.,and Jackson,J.A.(eds.).1995.Contributions to the History of North American Ornithology,Vol.I.Cambridge: Nuttall Ornithological Club.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crocroft 2000.Contributions to the History of North American Ornithology,Vol.II. Cambridge: Nuttall Ornithological Club.

    Google Scholar 

  • Desmond,A.1985.''The Making of Institutional Zoology in London 1822-1836.'' History of Science 23:153-185,223-250.

  • Crocroft 2001.''Rede ning the X Axis:'Professionals,''Amateurs 'and the Making of Mid-Victorian Britain-A Progress Report.''Journal of the History of Biology 34:3-50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Egerton,F.N.1968.''Studies of Animal Populations from Lamarck to Darwin.'' Journal of the History of Biology 1:225-259.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellegard,A.1958.Darwin and the General Reader:The Reception of Darwin 's Theory of Evolution in the British Periodical Press,1859-1872,[Vol.LXIV ].Go ¨teborg:Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis,Go ¨teborg Universitets Arsskrift.

  • Elton,C.1929.''Ecology,Animal.''Encyclopedia Brittanica 14th ed.7:915-924.

  • Farber,P.L.1980.''The Development of Ornithological Collections in the Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteeth Centuries and their Relationship to the Emergence of Ornithology as a Scientific Discipline.''Journal of the Society for the Bibliography of Natural History 9:391-394.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farber,P.L.1982.The Emergence of Ornithology as a Scientific Discipline:1760-1850.London: D.Reidel Publishing Company.

  • Farber,P.L.1985.''Theories for the Birds:An Inquiry into the Significance of the Theory of Evolution for the History of Systematics.''In M.Osler and P.L.Farber (eds.), Religion,Science,and Worldview:Essays in Honor of Richard S.Westfall. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,pp.321-339.

  • Farber,P.L.2000.Finding Order in Nature:The Naturalist Tradition from Linnaeus to E.O. Wilson.John Hopkins University Press.

  • Fisher,J.1949.''Letter to the Editor.''Bird Notes 91:171-172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Futuyama,D.J.1986.''Reflections on Reflections:Ecology and Evolutionary Biology,'' Journal of the History of Biology 19:303-312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant,C.H.B.1943.''Preface.''The Ibis 85:iii.

  • Grant,P.R.1986.Ecology and Evolution of Darwin 's Finches.Princeton: Princeton University Press.

  • Gross,A., Harmon,J.and Reidy,M.S.2002.Communicating Science:The Scientific Article from the Seventeenth Century to the Present.Oxford University Press.

  • Gunther,A.1975.A Century of Zoology:Through the Lives of Two Keepers.London: Wm.Dawson &Sons Ltd.

  • Haffer,J.1992.''The History of Species Concepts and Species Limits in Ornithology.'' Bulletin of the British Ornithologists 'Club,Centenary Supplement 112:107-158.

  • Haffer,J.1994.''Die Seebohm-Hartert-'Schule 'der europa ¨ischen Ornithologie.''Journal fu ¨r Ornithologie 135:37-54.

  • Haffer,J.2001.''Die 'Stresemannsche Revolution 'in der Ornithologie des fru ¨hen 20. Jahrhunderts.''Journal fu ¨r Ornithologie 142:381-389.

  • Haffer,J.2001.''Ornithological Research Traditions in Central Europe during the 19th and 20th Centuries,''Journal fu ¨r Ornithologie 142:27-93.

  • Haffer,J.H., Erich,R.and Klaus,W.2000.''Erwin Stresemann (1889-1972):Leben und Werk eines Pioniers der wissenschaftlichen Ornithologie.''Acta Historica Leopoldina 34:399-427.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagen,J.1984.''Experimentalists and Naturalists in Twentieth-Century Botany: Experimental Taxonomy,1920-1950.''Journal of the History of Biology 17:249-270.

  • Hagen,J.1992.The Entangled Bank.New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press.

  • Hartert,E.1904.''Some Anticriticisms.''The Ibis 8th Series 4:542-551.

  • Hesse,R.1937.Ecological Animal Geography.London: Chapman and Hall,Ltd. Hickling,R.(ed.).1983.Enjoying Ornithology:A Celebration of Fifty-Years of the British Trust for Ornithology,1933-1983.Calton:T&A.D.Poyser.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingram,C.1966.In Search of Birds.London: H.F.and G.Witherby.

  • Jardine,N., Secord,J.A.and Spary,E.C.(eds.).1996.Cultures of Natural History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keeney,E.B.1992.The Botanizers:Amateur Scientists in Nineteenth-Century America. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press,1992.

  • Kimler,W.1983.''Mimicry:Views of Naturalists and Ecologists before the Modern Synthesis.''In M.Greene,(ed.),Dimensions of Darwinism.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,pp.97-127.

  • Kingsland,S.1985.Modeling Nature:Episodes in the History of Population Ecology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

  • Kohler,R.E.2002.Landscapes and Labscapes:Exploring the Lab-Field Border in Biology.Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

  • Kohlstedt,S.G.1985.''Institutional History.''Osiris 2nd series:17-36.

  • Lack,D.1937.''A Review of Bird Census Work and Bird Population Problems.''The Ibis 14th Series 1:369-396.

  • Lack,D.1941.''The Evolution of the Galapagos Finches.''The Ibis 14th Series 5:637-638.

  • Lack,D.1943a.''Huxley on Evolution.''The Ibis 85:116-117.

  • Lack,D.1943b.''Mayr on Systematics and the Origin of Species.''The Ibis 85:360-361.

  • Lack,D.1949.''The Position of the Edward Grey Institute,Oxford.''Bird Notes 23:231-236.

  • Lack,D.1959.''Some British Pioneers in Ornithological Research,1859-1939.''The Ibis 101:71-81.

  • Lack,D.1965.''Evolutionary Ecology.''The Journal of Ecology 53:237-245.

  • Laudan,R.1977.''Ideas and Organizations in British Geology:A Case Study in Institutional History.''Isis 68:527-538.

  • Lewontin,R.C.1980.''Theoretical Population Genetics in the Evolutionary Synthesis.''In E.Mayr and W.Provine,(eds.),The Evolutionary Synthesis:Perspectives on the Unification of Biology.Cambridge: Harvard University Press,pp.58-68.

  • Lodge,G.E.1940.''The Bird-Room at the British Museum (Natural History).''The Ibis 14th Series 4:385-386.

  • Longsta.,T.G.1924.''Notes from Spitsbergen,1923.''The Ibis 11th Series 6:480-495.

  • Longsta.,T.G.1926.''Local Changes in Distribution.''The Ibis 12th Series 2:637-656.

  • Lowe,P.R.1920.''de Haviland on Forest,Steppe and Tundra.''The Ibis 11th Series 2: 321.

  • Lowe,P.R.1922.''A Note on Acquired or Somatic Variations.''The Ibis 11th Series 4:712-715.

  • Lowe,P.R.1941.''Evolution of the Galapagos Finches.''The Ibis 14th Series 5:315-317.

  • Lowe,W.P.1940.''The Bird-Room at the British Museum (Natural History).''Ibis 14th Series 4:386.

  • Lynes,H.1924.''On the Birds of North and Central Darfur with Notes on the West-Central Kordofan and North Nuba Provinces of British Sudan.''Ibis 11th Series 6: 399-446,648-719.

  • Lynes,H.and Sclater,W.L.1933.''Lynes-Vincent Tour in Central and West Africa in 1930-31.''The Ibis 13th Series 3:694-730.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayr,E.and Provine,W.(eds.).1980.The Evolutionary Synthesis:Perspectives on the Unification of Biology.Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mearns,B.and Mearns,R.1998.The Bird Collectors.London: Academic Press,1998.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meinertzhagen,R.1959.''Recollections of Some Famous British ornithologists.''The Ibis 101:46-52.

  • Mitman,G.1992.The State of Nature:Ecology,Community,and American Social Thought,1900-1950.Chicago: Chicago University Press.

  • Mitman,G.and Burkhardt R.W.Jr.1991.''Struggling for Identity:The Study of Animal Behavior in America,1930-1945.''In K.R.Benson, J.Maienschein and R.Rainger,(eds.),The Expansion of American Biology.New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press,pp.164-194.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moreau,R.E.1940a.''Lack 's Recent Papers.''The Ibis 14th Series 4:162-163.

  • Moreau,R.E.1940b.''Lack and Venables on British Woodland Birds.''The Ibis 14th Series 4: 163-164.

  • Moreau,R.E.1959.''The Centenarian 'Ibis.'''The Ibis 101:19-38.

  • Moreau,R.E.1979.''R.E.Moreau.''The Ibis 121:549-565.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicholson,E.M.1959.''The British Approach to Ornithology.''The Ibis 101:39-45. ''Notice to Contributors.''1932.The Ibis 13th Series 2:216.

  • Nyhart,L.1991.''Writing Zoologically:the Zeitschrift fu ¨r wissenschaftliche Zoologie and the Zoological Community in late Nineteenth-Century Germany.''In P.Dear, (ed.),The Literary Structure of Scientific Argument:Historical Studies.University of Pennsylvania Press,pp.43-71.

  • Nyhart,L.1995.''Essay Review:Biology and Imperialism.''Journal of the History of Biology 28:533-543.

  • Nye,M.J.1996.Before Big Science:The Pursuit of Modern Chemistry and Physics 1800-1940.New York: Twayne Publishers. Obituary.1945.''William Lutley Sclater.''The Ibis 87:115-121.

  • Oreskes,N.1999.The Rejection of Continental Drift:Theory and Method in American Earth Science.New York: Oxford University Press.

  • Paget Wilkes, A.H.1928.''The Birds of the Region South of Lake Nyasa,Part I.Non-passerine Birds.''The Ibis 12th Series 4:690-748.

  • Provine,W.1971.The Origins of Theoretical Population Genetics.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

  • Review.1924.''Walter.P Taylor 's 'A Distributional and Ecological Study of Mount Rainer,Washington 'in Ecology.''The Ibis 11th Series 6:181.

  • Review.1928.''McWilliams on the Birds of Bute.''The Ibis 12th Series 4:152.

  • Review.1929a.''Linsdale on Censuses.''The Ibis 12th Series 5:166-167.

  • Review.1929b.''Linsdale on the Birds of Kansas.''The Ibis 12th Series 5:367.

  • Review.1931.''H.S.Swarth 's 'The Avifauna of the Galapagos Islands.'''The Ibis 13th Series 1:801.

  • Review.1932.''Nicholson on Bird-watching.''The Ibis 13th Series 2:187-188.

  • Review.1933a.''Baldwin and Kendeigh on the Physiology of the Temperature of Birds.''The Ibis 13th Series 3:145.

  • Review.1933b.''Dr.Ernst Hartert 's Die vogel der palaarktischen fauna.''The Ibis 13th Series 1:151-152.

  • Review.1934a.''Lack on the Control of Breeding Time.''The Ibis 13th Series 4:188-189.

  • Review.1934b.''Lack on Habitat Distribution.''The Ibis 13th Series 4:845-846.

  • Review.1935.''Richmond 's 'Quest for Birds.'''The Ibis 13th Series 5:224-226.

  • Review.1940a.''Hosking and Newberry 's 'Intimate Sketches from Bird Life.'''The Ibis 14th Series 4:366-367.

  • Review.1940b.''Lack on Changes Due to A.orestation.''The Ibis 14th Series 4:367-368.

  • Review.1941.''Moreau on the Breeding Biology of Hirundo s.smithii.''The Ibis 14th Series 5:198-199.

  • Ricklefs,R.E.2000a.''Lack,Skutch,and Moreau:the Early Development of Life-History Thinking.''The Condor 102:3-8.

  • Ricklefs,R.E.2000b.''Density Dependence,Evolutionary Optimization,and the Diversi cation of Avian Life Histories.''The Condor 102:9-22.

  • Rothschild,M.1983.Dear Lord Rothschild:Birds,Butter.ies and History.Balaban: Philadelphia.

  • Sibley,C.G.1955.''Ornithology.''In E.L.Kessel,(ed.),A Century of Progress in the Natural Sciences.San Francisco: California Academy of Sciences,pp.629-659.

  • Smocovitis,V.B.1992.''Unifying Biology:The Evolutionary Synthesis and Evolutionary Biology.''Journal of the History of Biology 25:1-65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snow,D.1992.Birds,Discovery,and Conservation:100 Years of the British Ornithologists 'Club.Helm Information.

  • Sorensen,W.C.1995.Brethren of the Net:American Entomology,1840-1880.Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press.

  • Stresemann,E.1975.Ornithology:From Aristotle to the Present.Cambridge,MA: Harvard University.Originally published in 1951 as Die Entwicklung der Ornithologie von Aristoteles bis zur Gegenwart.Berlin:F.W.Peters.

  • Thorpe,W.1925.''Some Ecological Aspects of British Ornithology.''British Birds 24: 106-119.

  • Thorpe,W.1974.''David Lambert Lack 1910-1973.''Biographical Memoirs of the Fellows of the Royal Society of London,pp.271-293.

  • Ticehurst,C.B.1924.''Letter to the Editor.''The Ibis 11th Series 6:813-815.

  • Ticehurst,C.B.1931.''Editorial.''The Ibis 13th Series 1:i-iii.

  • Ticehurst,C.B.1940.''The Bird-Room at the British Museum (Natural History).''The Ibis 14th Series 4:183-185.

  • Tinbergen,N.1959.''Recent British Contributions to Scientific Ornithology.''The Ibis 101:126-131.

  • Trott,A.C.1947.''Notes on Birds seen in the Lar Valley in 1943 and 1944.''The Ibis 89:232.

  • Vincent,J.1933.''The Birds of Northern Portuguese East Africa.Comprising a List of, and Observations on,Collections Made during the British Museum Expedition of 1931-32.''The Ibis 13th Series 3:611-652.

  • Walters,M.2003.A Concise History of Ornithology:The Lives and Works of its Founding Figures.London: Christopher Helm.

  • Whistler,H.1941.''Claud Buchanan Ticehurst.''The Ibis 14th Series 5:321-335.

  • Witherby,H.F 1943.''Hubert Lynes:a Biographical Sketch.''The Ibis 85:198-213.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Johnson, K. The Ibis: Transformations in a Twentieth Century British Natural History Journal. Journal of the History of Biology 37, 515–555 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10739-004-1499-3

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10739-004-1499-3

Navigation