Ornithology at Middleton

Middleton holds a special place in the history of ornithology. It was the home of Francis Willughby, the naturalist and it was here that Willughby brought the specimens that he and John Ray gathered on their travels, where he drew and dissected them and made the first systematic scientific study of birds.It was here also in the recently restored building, formerly known as the de Freville building, that John Ray produced the first ever book on bird recognition. He used Willughby's notes and drawings and called the book "Willughby's Ornithology" in honour of his pupil, friend and patron, who had died in 1672 at the age of 37. While lodging in this building he wrote several books in addition to the Ornithology.

He married, in Middleton Church, the governess of Willoughby's children.

In the introduction to the Ornithology, Ray wrote " our main design was to illustrate the history of birds, which is in many particulars confused and obscure, by so accurately describing each kind, and observing their characteristics and distinctive notes, that the reader may be sure of our meaning, and upon comparing a bird with our description not fail of discerning whether it be described or no."

The catalogue to the Cornell University collection of books on ornithology has the following description of the book. "Willughby's Ornithologiae libri tres (1676), completed by Ray and published after Willughby's death, is considered the beginning of scientific ornithology in Europe. The Hill Collection contains a copy of the original 1676 edition as well as a 1678 English translation, with additions, by John Ray. Years later Ray reworked and enlarged the Ornithologia, which was then published posthumously in 1713 as his Synopsis methodica avium et piscium. A copy of this work is also included in the Hill Collection."

In addition to the description of the birds themselves there is a lengthy account of the methods use to catch them so that they could be drawn and studied. The pictures above show some of the methods used. This part of the book must have been required reading for poachers - if any were literate in that era. At least some of the methods Willughby and Ray used were preferable to those of the famous American ornithologist, Audubon, who used a scatter gun to shoot his prey.

In the listing of birds recorded at Middleton in the last 20 years photographs of the named birds can be viewed and compared with Willughby and Ray's drawings.