Summary:
"Extinct Birds" by The Hon. Walter Rothschild is a scientific publication written in the early 20th century. This work compiles a comprehensive account of bird species that have become extinct within the last few centuries, alongside some still-existing species that are on the brink of extinction. It explores themes related to avian extinction, examining both well-documented species and those known only through skeletal remains or literature. The opening of this book outlines Rothschild's motivation to expand on a lecture he previously presented at the Ornithological Congress in 1905, which sparked significant interest in extinct avian species. He expresses gratitude to those who contributed to his research and mentions that the book would differ from the original lecture due to the extensive additional research undertaken. Rothschild sets the stage for a detailed exploration of extinct and endangered birds, systematically organizing the species into two categories: those with both skeletons and some knowledge about their external features, and those known only from bones or ancient descriptions. He acknowledges the complex causes of extinction, emphasizing the detrimental impact of human activity and the alteration of natural habitats. (This is an automatically generated summary.)