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biodiversitypix.bsky.social
Biodiversity Pics
@biodiversitypix.bsky.social
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The Biodiversity Heritage Library contains thousands of historical illustrations of flora and fauna. This unaffiliated bot shares random images from the collection.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 4h
🦒 Animal life and the world of nature: .
London: Hutchinson, 1902-1904..

[Source]
Illustration of a female giraffe from Lake Baringo, depicted lowering her long neck to graze on grass. The giraffe shows distinctive irregular brown patches on a pale tan background, with slender legs and a tufted tail. The background includes muted greenery and a soft sky, emphasizing the natural habitat. The artwork is a colored painting by J. Smit, featured in the British Natural History Museum collection around 1902-1904.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 6h
🦏 Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur /.
Erlangen: Expedition des Schreber'schen säugthier- und des Esper'schen Schmetterlingswerkes [etc., 1774]-1846..

[Source]
Illustration of a one-horned rhinoceros standing on a small grassy island surrounded by water. The rhino has thick, segmented armor-like skin with distinct folds, a single prominent horn on its snout, and a rounded body with short, sturdy legs. Behind the rhinoceros, tropical plants with broad leaves and spiky fronds provide a natural backdrop. The image is labeled "Rhinoceros unicornis L." and features fine detailing typical of 18th-19th century scientific illustrations.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 8h
🎣 Monographie der Medusen
Jena: G. Fischer, 1879-1881.

[Source]
Historical scientific illustration titled "Periphema Regina" from "Monographie der Medusen," depicting detailed anatomical studies of a deep-sea jellyfish species. The image shows various magnified sections of the jellyfish’s structure, including cellular arrangements, tissue layers, and reproductive elements. Drawings highlight complex textures and shapes such as coiled formations, bulbous cellular clusters, and layered membranes, with all parts labeled meticulously. The style is precise and finely detailed, typical of 19th-century natural history lithographs, aiming to visually explain the jellyfish’s internal and external morphology for scientific study during the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger expedition.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 10h
🐘 The naturalist's miscellany, or Coloured figures of natural objects.
London: Printed for Nodder & Co., 1789-1813.

[Source]
Illustration from "The naturalist's miscellany" (1789-1813) depicting a large, curled snake with a thick, spotted body and a small, rounded head. The snake is positioned on the ground next to patches of green foliage and grass. The image is unrelated to elephants despite the keyword, focusing instead on the detailed texture and pattern of the snake’s skin and its coiled posture in a naturalistic setting.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 12h
🦆 La galerie des oiseaux
Paris, Constant-Chantpie, 1825-1826.

[Source]
Historic illustration from "La galerie des oiseaux" (1825-1826) showing a full-body side view of an ostrich labeled "L'Autruche chameau, Struthio camelus." The tall, large bird stands on a shadowed patch of ground, featuring a long neck with subtle pinkish skin and sparse feathers near the head. Its body is covered in detailed black and white feathers, with the plumage on its back and tail depicted in layered, textured strokes. The ostrich's strong, long legs show visible scales and joints, capturing its characteristic height and structure. The image presents the bird in a naturalistic, scientific style typical of 19th-century ornithological art.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 16h
🍒 The birds of Singapore Island..
Singapore: Printed at the Govt. Print. Office by W. T. Cherry, Govt. Printer, 1927..

[Source]
Historical illustration titled "The birds of Singapore Island" depicting two Malayan Pygmy Woodpeckers (Dryobates nanus auritus) perched on the branches of a tree. The birds are shown with detailed brown and white striped plumage and distinct facial markings. One woodpecker clings vertically to the trunk looking upward, while the other is positioned on a lower branch with wings slightly spread. The background features muted green foliage, emphasizing the birds. The image is signed by artist G. A. Levett-Yeats and printed by W. T. Cherry, Govt. Printer, in 1927.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 18h
🌻 Kinpaen gafu
[place of publication not identified]: [publisher not identified]], [after 1820 before 1912]

[Source]
Historical botanical illustration from "Kinpaen gafu," showing two branches with clusters of small, rounded flowers and large green leaves. The artwork uses delicate black outlines and subtle green and white coloring, capturing the texture and shape of the leaves and flower clusters across two pages of a traditional book.
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biodiversitypix.bsky.social
Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 20h
🦄 Whales /.
Edinburgh: W.H. Lizars, 1843..

[Source]
Illustration of two narwhals, also called sea unicorns, depicted lying on an icy shore with a backdrop of snow-covered mountains. Both whales have long, spiral tusks extending from their heads, and their bodies are covered in spots. Small seabirds are flying nearby. The image is a detailed 1843 engraving, labeled "THE NARWHAL OR SEA UNICORN," highlighting the narwhal’s distinctive single tusk that inspired its nickname.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 22h
🐒 The book of the animal kingdom..
London, J. M. Dent & sons, ltd.;1910..

[Source]
Illustration of a mandrill sitting on rocky ground, holding a thin branch in its right hand. The primate has distinctive colorful facial features including a bright red nose, blue ridges on the sides of the nose, and a white beard-like tuft of fur around the mouth. Its fur is brown and dense, with a muscular body posture. The background shows a muted landscape with an orange, pink, and gray sky, suggesting sunset or sunrise. The image is a detailed, naturalistic drawing from a 1910 scientific book titled "The Book of the Animal Kingdom," signed by the artist W.S. Berridge.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d
🌳 Chase fruit and flowers in natural colors
Rochester, N.Y., Chase brothers company[c1922]

[Source]
Historical illustration of a lush Hydrangea Arborescens shrub, also known as Snowball Hydrangea or Hills of Snow, in full bloom with clusters of large, round white flowers. The shrub is dense with broad green leaves and sits on a well-kept lawn near a sidewalk, with trees and a red-brick house in the background. Noted for blooming later than most spring shrubs, it is considered one of the finest hardy American shrubs. The image reflects natural colors and early 20th-century landscaping aesthetics.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d
🥚 The birds of the British Isles and their eggs.
London ;F. Warne, 1920.

[Source]
Historical illustration from 1920 titled "The birds of the British Isles and their eggs," featuring two species. The top depicts two Razorbills with dark brown upperparts and white underparts, resting among grass and cotton-like flowers. The bottom shows a Richardson's Skua standing on a rock, dark brown with white belly, and a group of similar birds in the background on cliffs. Both birds are detailed with natural coloring and realistic postures, highlighting their typical habitats. The image serves as an educational depiction related to British bird species and their eggs.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d
🦎 The birds of eastern North America: .
Newtonville, Mass.: C.J. Maynard & co., 1896..

[Source]
Illustration from 1896 showing a small bird perched on a slender branch with clusters of delicate, reddish buds. The bird has a light yellowish-beige belly, olive-brown back, and two distinct white wing bars. It faces right with a short, straight beak and dark eye. The background is a soft, pale blue wash, highlighting the bird and branch detail. The image is titled "The birds of eastern North America." Despite the keyword "newt," the main subject is the bird, depicted with fine, naturalistic detail typical of 19th-century natural history illustrations.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d
💐 Leaves from the book of nature, Edinburgh: W.H. Lizars;[184-?]

[Source]
Illustration titled "Leaves from the Book of Nature" showing various species of British butterflies arranged in clusters, each group perched on delicately sketched garden plants. Butterflies display diverse wing patterns and colors, including orange, brown, black, white, blue, and red hues. The detailed artwork combines hand-colored butterflies with fine line drawings of botanical elements, capturing the natural garden habitat. The page includes text identifying the butterflies and publisher information at the bottom. This vintage print highlights the beauty and variety of butterflies commonly found in British gardens.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d
🙊 Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London..
London: Academic Press, [etc.], 1833-1965..

[Source]
Illustration of a mongoose labeled "Herpestes Smithii," showing a sleek, elongated body covered in reddish-brown fur with small orange and black spots. The mongoose is depicted in a naturalistic setting, resting on a rock surrounded by green and brown foliage and grasses. Its tail is long and bushy, curling slightly at the end. The animal’s head is low, with visible yellow eyes and small rounded ears. The background features subtle shading and sparse vegetation, emphasizing the mongoose as the central focus of the image. The illustration style is detailed and textured, typical of 19th-century zoological publications.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d
🏞️ Notes of a botanist on the Amazon & Andes
London, Macmillan and co., limited, 1908.

[Source]
Black and white historical illustration titled "Rapids of Maypures" showing a river flowing rapidly through a rocky valley. Large boulders and jagged rocks dominate the riverbed, creating turbulent currents. On the riverbanks, dense foliage and overhanging trees are visible. The sky is partly cloudy, suggesting a natural, wild setting in the Amazon and Andes region. The scene captures the raw power of the river cutting through the mountainous terrain.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d
🐦 The natural history of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands: .
London: Printed for B. White, 1771..

[Source]
Illustration from 1771 depicting a small yellowish-brown warbler perched on a branch of a plant with long, slender green leaves and clusters of dark bluish-purple oval berries with reddish stems. The bird is shown in profile with detailed feather texture and a slightly open beak. The botanical and bird names "Parus luteus" and "Laurus Carolinensis" are labeled beneath the image, emphasizing its natural history context of the Carolina, Florida, and Bahama Islands region. The artwork features delicate line work and soft natural colors typical of 18th-century scientific illustrations.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d
🐚 Spécies général et iconographie des coquilles vivantes
Paris: Chez Rousseau: [1834-1880]

[Source]
Illustration from a historical 19th-century book showing four detailed, hand-colored drawings of Pyrula shells. Two shells, labeled 1 and 2, are shown from a side profile and a front angle, featuring elongated, spiraled forms with prominent ridges and variegated brown, beige, and cream bands. The shells display a textured surface with natural shading highlighting their ribbed structure and flared openings. Text on the page includes the title "Pyrule (Pyrula)" and scientific names "Pyrula sinistrale" and "Pyrula perversa Lam." The style reflects precise scientific illustration typical of natural history works from 1834-1880.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d
🍎 La flore et la pomone francaises
Paris: Chez l'auteur, rue Furstemberg, 1828-1833.

[Source]
Fruit illustration from historical archives
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d
😸 Dictionnaire universel d'histoire naturelle: .
Paris: Chez les editeurs MM. Renard, Martinet et cie, rue et Hotel Mignon, 2 (quartier de l'École-de-Médecine) ; et chez Langlois et Leclercq, rue de la Harpe, 81 ; Victor Masson, Place de l'Ecole-de-Médecin1847-1849.

[Source]
Illustration from the mid-19th century depicting two platypuses in a natural wetland setting. The larger platypus stands on land with brown fur, a duck-like bill, webbed feet, and a flat tail, while the smaller platypus is partially submerged in water with only its head and upper body visible. Surrounding them are detailed plants, including reeds and water lilies, emphasizing their aquatic habitat. The image combines detailed linework and naturalistic coloring, characteristic of historical zoological engravings.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 1d
🦨 The class Mammalia
London: Printed for Geo. B. Whittaker, 1827.

[Source]
Black and white historical engraving of a skunk labeled "The Titledu" and "Medaus Melliceps." The skunk is depicted in profile, standing on all four legs with its mouth open, showing teeth and tongue. It has distinctive dense fur with a prominent white stripe running from its head down its back and a bushy tail. The background is minimal with faint natural contours. The illustration is detailed, highlighting the animal’s fur texture and claws. The image is from an 1827 publication titled "The class Mammalia," printed in London.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 2d
🏖️ The birds of Europe..
London, Printed by R. and J.E. Taylor, pub. by the author, 1837..

[Source]
Illustration of two Little Gulls (Xema minutus) standing on a rocky beach surface. Both birds have pale gray upper feathers, white undersides, and red legs with webbed feet. One gull is depicted in profile facing left, showing detailed wing feathers, while the other stands behind with a slightly raised head and distinct dark wing patches. The scene is minimally detailed with no background elements, emphasizing the birds and the textured rocky ground beneath them. This 1837 print from "The Birds of Europe" highlights the gulls' coastal habitat.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 2d
🦋 An epitome of the natural history of the insects of China: London: Printed for the author, by T. Bensley, and sold by White, Fleet-Street, Faulder, Bond-Street, Bell, Oxford-Street, &c., 1798.

[Source]
Illustration from 1798 showing two butterflies labeled "Papilio Paris" from the Lepidoptera order. The top butterfly is displayed with open wings, primarily dark with blue patches and small orange eyespots on the hind wings, featuring elongated tails. The bottom butterfly is shown in profile resting on a green grass blade, revealing intricate wing patterns with dark brown, blue, white bands, and prominent orange eyespots near the tails. The detailed, hand-colored illustration highlights wing texture and delicate antennae, emphasizing natural history study and species identification. The page has aged with slight yellowing and text above and below the butterflies.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 2d
🐉 Animate creation
New York, S. Hess[c1885]

[Source]
Detailed black and white historical illustration titled "Dragon-flies, Laying Eggs" from "Animate Creation" (c. 1885), showing several dragonflies in a marshy, water-filled environment. Dragonflies are depicted perched on and flying around reeds, some in pairs, engaging in the egg-laying process. The background features tall grasses and water lilies with visible water ripples. The image focuses on the intricate wings and segmented bodies of the dragonflies, capturing various stages of their reproductive behavior in a natural wetland habitat. The composition is rich in botanical and insect details, emphasizing the life cycle of dragonflies in their environment.
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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 2d
🗿 Illustrations of British Fungi (Hymenomycetes), to serve as an atlas to the "Handbook of British Fungi"..
LondonWilliams and Norgate1881-91.

[Source]
Ancient illustration from historical archives
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biodiversitypix.bsky.social
Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 2d
🐉 A list of the fishes of Hawaii
Pittsburgh, Board of trustees of the Carnegie Institute, 1922.

[Source]
Historical black and white scientific illustration from 1922 showing three detailed fish species from Hawaii. The first two fish on the left have elongated bodies and large, dragon-like fin structures with intricate patterns of spots and stripes, giving a winged appearance. The third fish on the right is rounder and more compact with small fins and a textured, scale-covered body featuring a dotted pattern. Each fish is numbered and labeled with scientific names alongside fine linework emphasizing their unique anatomical features. The image conveys a dragon-like aesthetic in the fin shapes and markings of the first two fish.
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