Legacies

This chapter discusses Dresser’s legacies and explores why he and his contemporaries fell from sight, as scientific ornithology shifted from a collection-based discipline to a hypothesis-driven system. It explores the rise—and fall—of specimen collecting on a near-industrial level. It suggests that Dresser was sidelined as a result of post-imperialist views, anti-collecting and anti-individualism as a kind of ‘anti-Victorianism’, in the style of Lytton Strachey’s Eminent Victorians. The chapter includes a tailpiece of Richard Meinertzhagen’s ‘reminiscences’ of Dresser (possibly fraudulent as Meinertzhagen has been shown to be an inventor of many stories). The book concludes with commentary on the relationship between ornithology and business, and on how Dresser and his contemporaries worked hard to produce reliable information, which served as the basis for further work. It concludes by exploring how Henry’s collections continue to be used today in new ways and for new uses.

The grand finale: producing Eggs of the Birds of Europe

During 1905–10, Dresser brought out his last major book, on the eggs of the birds of Europe. His Russian collaborators were making important discoveries in Central Asia and Siberia, and provided him with many specimens. Dresser publicised these discoveries in the book and in presentations at the Zoological Society of London. The Eggs of the Birds of Europe was illustrated using colour photography of eggs, mostly from Dresser’s collection. It was possibly the first natural history book to be illustrated using colour photography, based on the ‘three-colour process’. There was a further dispute with the British Museum (Natural History) as Dresser acquired some bird skins from an ‘official’ expedition, the British Expedition to Tibet of 1903–04, which the museum’s curators felt should go to the museum.

The 1880s: the rise of rivalry

This chapter explores the 1880s as a time when standards were set in ornithology, in terms of scientific practices of naming and drawing up agreed lists of accepted records of rare birds visiting Britain. Dresser was a key figure in this, at a time when a number of self-proclaimed authorities disputed evidence and practices. Dresser was involved in various arguments over scientific naming practices with American ornithologists, which would run for many years. His relationship with Henry Seebohm, an English collector with whom he had previously been on good terms, deteriorates as Seebohm set out to deinstall Dresser as the leading commentator on the birds of Europe and Siberia. The British Museum (Natural History) continued to develop its leading importance as a scientific research institution, attracting support from many of Dresser’s contemporaries and acquiring their collections. Dresser remained separated from the museum.

Working independently, 1900–5

During the first five years of the new century, Dresser published the Manual of the Birds of Europe, an important contribution to ornithology. This book was produced at the same time as another on the same subject but adopting novel approaches; the two books are compared and contrasted. The long-running argument over scientific naming practices was settled at an international congress but the British ornithologists had lost out in their long running battle with American ornithologists. There was a further dispute with the British Museum (Natural History), who accused Dresser of misappropriating specimens for his collection. Dresser began work on a great book project on eggs of the birds of Europe and Asia, capitalising on discoveries being made by his close collaborators in Russia.

Early exploits in ornithological society

This chapter explores how Henry established himself into natural history society in London. It explores his participation in the fortnightly meetings of the Zoological Society of London and attendance at natural history auctions in London. It also explores the importance of correspondence networks among ornithologists. The British Ornithologists’ Union, the leading grouping of ornithologists in Britain, is explored in terms of its establishment, aims and its key members. Dresser was elected as a Member of the British Ornithologists’ Union in 1865. Dresser’s early publications are explored, notably his article on the birds of Southern Texas, based on his experiences there in 1863–64. Dresser became involved in the early bird conservation movement, and played a leading role in a committee to establish a close season for British seabirds.

Settling down to business

This chapter explores Dresser’s life through the 1860s, following his return to England from Mexico and Texas. His father had been bankrupted by the American Civil War, so Dresser had to take over as head the family, as the eldest son. This was a chaotic period when Dresser considered leaving London to live abroad. Ultimately, he settled into business and became extremely successful. He worked as a leading iron-trading merchant, a line of work he remained in for over forty years. This set the background and context for all of his natural history work, which forms the subject of subsequent chapters. The chapter includes details of his business travels throughout Europe during the 1860s, mixing business and ornithology.

Discovering the birds of Europe, I

This chapter introduces the ‘History of the Birds of Europe’, a great book project initiated by Richard Bowdler Sharpe, in partnership with Dresser. The chapter discusses scientific travellers and fieldwork, and the growth of formal and informal scientific travel through the nineteenth century. It describes the collecting manuals and instructions for collectors that were issued to encourage collectors to produce good-quality specimens that could enter into exchanging networks and museum collections. The chapter explores Dresser’s collecting network by discussing the activities of those who provided him with specimens from Europe, Northern Asia, North America and the Arctic. It emphasises and explores his personal relationships with field collectors.

Collecting

This chapter explores the collecting practices of collectors. It discusses the availability of specimens from different sources, including poulterers’ markets, gamekeepers, taxidermists, auctions, dealers and the risk of fraud from commercial dealers. It discusses closed networks among collectors and the importance of correspondence. It establishes how Dresser set up a ‘system of collecting’ with his contemporaries: a collecting network, based on exchanging specimens. The chapter compares his collecting to the ways he conducted business as a merchant. Dresser’s specialities and monopolies of particular species of bird are discussed. It sets out his increasing ambitions in exchanging specimens with museum curators. It also discusses the growth of Henry’s collection through the 1860s as a result of his relationships. It discusses the difference between those who thought of themselves as dealers of specimens, and enthusiasts who exchanged specimens to benefit their collections.

Time for a change

This chapter reveals how ornithology had become divided into factions, with Dresser occupying a distinctive position as one of the last independent naturalists. The British Ornithologists Union had its 50th anniversary in 1909; this showed how the BOU had become rather left behind in the face of competition from the American school of ornithology. Bird and egg collecting were the source of a great debate that ran for some time in the Times. Dresser took part in the commemorations of Darwin’s birth and the publication of On the Origin of Species through his friendship with Alfred Russel Wallace. He was again accused of theft by the British Museum (Natural History). Dresser took part in one last book project, to standardise the names of the birds that had occurred in Britain in line with more modern naming practices.

The 1890s: the continuing rise of the British Museum (Natural History)

This chapter explores Dresser’s activities in the 1890s. His relationship with Walter Rothschild, a particularly wealthy private collector, is discussed. Dresser continued to hold a leading position in scientific society and became involved in the early Society for the Protection of Birds. He had some involvement with the British Ornithologists’ Club, established by Richard Sharpe of the British Museum (Natural History). There were ongoing disputes on how birds should be given scientific names; Dresser was notable as a firm advocate of the ‘old school’, which was losing ground to new innovations supported by American ornithologists. There was a dispute over the ownership of bird specimens with Richard Sharpe, which would be the first of several such accusations. Dresser parted with his bird collection to Manchester Museum. The days of independent gentlemen naturalists were not over, but the rift between individuals and organised institutions, societies and professionals was growing ever wider.