The Flight of the Emu A Hundred Years of Australian Ornithology 1901-2001 By Libby Robin.

The Flight of the Emu A Hundred Years of Australian Ornithology 1901-2001 By Libby Robin. Publisher: Melbourne University Press, 2001, first edition. Very good hardback, a little compression to spine ends, bump to back corner, no inscriptions, pages excellent, minor marks. Jacket has some edge-wear. 492 pages, illustrated. This work is a history of Australian birding in the 20th century. The emu of the title comes from the 100-year journal of the Royal Australasian Ornithologist's Union, but the text is much more than the history of a society. It encompasses ornithological research in museums, universities, government agencies, CSIRO and community groups, exploring the tensions between amateur and professional in a discipline where exceptional amateur contributions have shaped science. The work details international scientific expeditions and relates stories of adventurous Australians in far flung places - such as Robert Hall and Ernie Trebilcock's 1903 expedition to Siberia, the breeding place for many migratory waders known in Australia in the non-breeding season. ALL PHOTOS ARE OF THE ACTUAL BOOK. All books are sent with free courier postage within New Zealand.