Antique Bird Print of the Western Marsh Harrier by Sepp & Nozeman (1770)

Description: Antique print titled ‘Milvus Aeruginosus'. This print depicts the western marsh harrier (Dutch: bruine kiekendief). The western marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus) is a large harrier, a bird of prey from temperate and subtropical western Eurasia and adjacent Africa. It is also known as the Eurasian marsh harrier. The genus name Circus is derived from the Ancient Greek kirkos, referring to a bird of prey named for its circling flight (kirkos, "circle"), probably the hen harrier. The specific aeruginosus is Latin for "rusty".

This print originates from 'Nederlandsche Vogelen; volgens hunne huisdouding, aert, en eigenschappen beschreeven", Amsterdam, 1770-1829 by C. Nozeman, M. Houttuyn and J.C. Sepp. This is the most important and first study in the Netherlands of ornithology at that time. The birds are depicted as they are in life, said to be depicted close to life sized and in their environment.

Original text page included.

Artists and engravers: This monumental work is associated with Christiaan Andreas Sepp, Jan Christiaan Sepp, Jan Sepp, Cornelis Nozeman, Martinus Houttuyn and Coenraad Jacob Temminck.