Alavda sine crista "Lark without a crest"; An illustration from Historiae animalium; liber III qui est de auium natura (History of Animals, Book III: On the Nature of Birds).
c1555. Wood engraving on delicate cream laid paper, 4 1/2 x 6 5/8 inches ( 115 x 168 mm), trimmed inside the plate. In good condition with one area of rust colored discoloration in the area of the bird's wing, consistent with age. Text in Latin on the verso.
The phrase "Sine Crista" was an important taxonomic distinction in the pre-Linnaean era to differentiate this bird from the "Alauda Cristata" (Crested Lark). This represents a fascinating bridge between the medieval "Bestiary" (where animals were often mythical) and the beginning of modern scientific observation.
Item number: 2513
Price: $500.00
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