Today I am taking a bit of a departure from my usual practice. I am not looking at a cryptid or cryptids. Instead I take a look at old British natural history magazines in order to draw your attention to possible sources of information on unknown animals, both ones that are familiar to you and ones that have hitherto been overlooked.
Part One is based on an essay in the Naturalist magazine for November 1917 by T. Sheppard (1)Part Two will be based on pages in the issue for December 1917 (2) There is a definite north-of-England bias in some of the magazines.
WILD LIFE
'No 1 of this excellent illustrated monthly.edited by Douglas English…appeared in January 1913, part 6 for June completing the first number. It is quarto in size. The first Volume contained 398 pages, and is illustrated by the fine photographs of various phases of life, many being on tinted mounts.' (3)
The Naturalist then goes on to describe the following six volumes, not the contents, but page numbers, indexes, etc.
THE WHITBY REPOSITORY; first series.
'Vol 1 is entitled The Whitby Repository, and Monthly Miscellany; Religious, Sentimental, Literary, and Scientific. Volume first, 1825. The page,illustration and index details are then given up to Vol. Two of the New Series.' (4)
YORK TOURIST SOCIETY.
This is a publication that began in the Spring of 1873:
'It was not until the Spring of 1873, that any Tourist Papers were written, since then, however, the author, Dr Proctor, Mr G. D. Baskett, Mr J. L. Foster, and others, have occasionally illustrated the movements of the Society' (5)
THE ANIMAL WORLD
'In January 1906, appeared No. 1 of Volume 1 of The Animal World, an illustrated quarto Magazine published under the auspices of the R.S.P.C.A.. It has been issued regularly ever since, the 12 monthly parts for each year forming a Volume…The publication is devoted to the interests of the Society, and contains many Natural History notes and records.' (6)
THE ECONOMIC NATURALIST
'Through the kindness of a Huddersfield friend, I have recently obtained a complete set of this journal, consisting of 10 parts, the last two being numbered 9 and 10, and 11 and 12 respectively' (7)
SELBORNE SOCIETY LETTERS
'Apparently the first publication of the Selborne Society had the above heading, and consisted of parts 1-12, dated January 1st to December, 1887. …The nature of the publication can be ascertained from the following extract from the first page:- `It is intended from time to time to issue Letters (after the manner of Gilbert White) on the objects and work of the Selborne Society, to be written by Members who have a special knowledge of the subject of which they treat`. (8)
THE SELBORNE MAGAZINE. There is a note in my handwriting next to this entry that says – Zoo Alexander. Per 1996.d.125 1909-1925. This is the shelf mark and dates of acquisition.
'On page 148 of `Yorkshire`s Contributions to Science I [i.e T.Sheppard] gave an account of Nature Notes, the Selborne Society`s Magazine. And as my set commences with Vol 1 of that journal,dated 1890, I assumed that that I had all the publications. Mr Mark Webb informs me,however, that previous to Nature Notes, another Magazine was published, and I have since managed to obtain the two Volumes issued. They are small octavo in size, and are entitled The Selborne Magazine; No.1 is dated January,1888, and contains 16 pages…'(9)
THE NATURALISTS` WORLD
'Mr Percy Lund has sent me a circular in reference in reference to The Naturalists World, on which occurs the words `with which is incorporated The Practical Naturalist`. Volume 1 of this journal was printed at Leeds, Vols 2 and 3 at Ilkley, and Vol 4 at Bradford.' (10)
1.T.Sheppard Old Natural History Magazines,Etc. Naturalist Nov.1917 pp353-356
2. T.Sheppard Old Natural History Magazines,Etc. December 1917 pp 387-391
3.Ibid p.353
4.Ibid p.354
5.Ibid p.355
6.Ibid. p.355
7.Ibid. p.355
8. Ibid p.356
9.Ibid p.356
10. Ibid.p.356
Sorry, I can`t bring you lyrics tonight as I have run out of ink to print them out!
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