Sarah Waring: The Minstrelsy of the Woods; or, Sketches and
Songs connected with the Natural History of some of the most
interesting British and Foreign Birds. London : Harvey & Darton,
1832. WPRP 394. Written by naturalist Sarah Waring to educate
children on ornithology, this book is dedicated to the author’s
“beloved young relatives.”Following a dedication poem and a
brief introduction, the text is divided according to order of
bird, with sections devoted to Acciptres, Passeres, Scansores,
Gallinae, Grallae, and Palmipedes. Interspersed amongst the
prose are numerous poems, each one devoted to a single bird.
Illustrations abound within this volume, most notably the wood-
engraved nightingale on the frontispiece. The wood engraving
process is a relief printing process similar to that of
woodblock printing, save for the use of different carving tools
and different types and cuts of wood. Perfected by Thomas Bewick
in the late 18th century, wood engraving made printing image and
text together more efficient and