As many of you know, I have been digging around in Ohio ornithological
history. I am especially puzzled by one topic, and I wonder if any
readers can cast some light.
     We cannot understand today's birds--their populations, foods,
behaviors, timings of migration and nesting, etc.--without finding out
everything we can about them yesterday.  For some reason, three of the
state's respected ornithologists chose 1903 as a time to describe Ohio's
avifauna.  In that year Lynds Jones of Oberlin published his "The Birds
of Ohio," and Wm. Dawson of Columbus his own "The Birds of Ohio." Both
are in libraries and used-book stores, and texts are on the internet.
     A third prominent ornithologist, Oliver Davie of Columbus, had by
that time published seven books between 1884 and 1902, four of them
devoted to birds, concentrating on eggs. By some strange coincidence it
was also in 1903 that he announced he had completed a work, "Life
Histories of the Birds of Ohio: A State Textbook," of some 700 pages,
with 100 colored plates. It was offered by Fred Herr, a prominent
Columbus publisher.
     I can't find a copy of it. Nothing in the Ohio Historical Society,
the OSU Museum, or the state libraries. There are some rather unreliable
published mentions and offhand reviews of this seemingly significant
work, but I have the feeling it was never finally published. Surely
there was a text, a draft with illustrations, but it seems lost. I'm
thinking there are clued-in folks who read this list who may have
information about a draft copy or at least a manuscript, or maybe only a
review with information, about this work, or even about where there may
be a trove of Davie's manuscripts. Please get in touch if you do.
Thanks,
Bill Whan
Columbus

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