The Naturalist’s Library
Jardine, Sir William (Ed.)
The Naturalist’s Library. - Vol XXXVII; Ichthyology, British Fishes – Part II. / Edited by Sir William Jardine, Bart.. London: Chatto & Windus, c. 1866
This volume is part of a collection written for the general public and gentlemen scientists of Victorian period. Natural history was a popular pastime and scientific awareness of the natural environment was developing. This was the era of great industry and knowledge of geography and geology also fuelled interest in natural sciences.
This series of books was edited by Sir William Jardine, a successful Scottish Naturalist (1800 – 1874). He was a highly regarded geologist, entomologist and botanist, developing particular areas of expertise in the fields of ornithology and ichthyology (the study of fish). Jardine was able to establish links with a very broad range of fellow enthusiasts around the world including noted Swansea naturalist Lewis Llewelyn Dillwyn.
Jardine's true contribution was in the way he chose to share the knowledge he was accumulating. He published "The Naturalist's Library" between 1833–1843. This comprised 40 leather-bound volumes, each a handy pocket-size 5 inches by 4 inches. The library was divided into four phylum categories: Ornithology, Mammalia, Entomology, and Ichthyology, and each volume included a description of each known species plus hand-coloured illustrations.
The descriptions and illustrations were commissioned by Jardine from the leading naturalists and artists of the day, and the result was a comprehensive encyclopaedia of nature which gathered as much information about the natural world as possible in an easily readable format. It went through many editions.
Swansea Libraries does not today have the complete collection of volumes, but the illustrations in this volume remain bright and colourful and show extraordinary detail.
Page 160 includes a chapter on Herring where the authors describe a theory that Herring, which are hard to find around the British Coast during the winter, must migrate to the Arctic and return in their huge numbers during the Summer.
This is the theory laid out by Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant in his British Zoology (1766). Modern research on herring confirms the importance of long distance migration in their life cycle. The Herring fishery was historically was very important in Wales and seasonal herring boats were often seen around Swansea and Gower and barrels of cured salted herring were a significant trade item. The remains of the sixteenth century Salt Houses at Port Enyon are reminders of this important industry. In the background of the picture above you can see what appears to be a typical fishing smack similar to those found in the waters around Swansea. Over fishing however has drastically reduced the size of the herring fishery today compared to the past.
The volume starts with a chapter about the famous naturalist Baron Von Humboldt, his explorations and writings about nature were valued greatly by those that followed him including Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace. Humboldt travelled extensively in the Americas, exploring and describing in detail from a modern scientific point of view.