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Peter Mason's biography of Ulisse Aldrovandi, a Renaissance naturalist, explores his life and work as a prominent figure in the early modern era. Aldrovandi's extensive knowledge and output covered a wide range of subjects, making him a household name during his time. The biography highlights Aldrovandi's focus on the natural world, his collection of drawings and specimens, and his posthumous publications. Mason's book provides a comprehensive overview of Aldrovandi's contributions and is a valuable resource for those interested in learning more about this influential figure. [Extracted from the article]

A botanist and retired librarian from the Meise Botanical Garden, Belgium, the author became fascinated with the vasculum as a scientific tool when she inherited her grandmother Hortense's decorated vasculum. Some show the botanist as I bon-vivant i , as in the case of the two early twentieth-century paintings by Herman Kern depicting botanists enjoying a tipple, their overflowing vasculum a testament to a hard day in the field. Régine Fabri's exhaustive history of the vasculum is truly a labour of love. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the development of paper based information technology in the 18th century, focusing on the system of paper slips used by botanist Carl Linnaeus in his research. Other topics include systems of information storage, the format and content of slips of paper used in Linnaeus's botanical research, and the adoption of Linnaeus's system by his son and other future scientists.

The article discusses eighteenth-century Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), notable for developing a biological classification system based on botanical descriptions as opposed to illustrations. The author confronts the historiographic belief that Linnaeus lacked drawing or drafting skills. Historical sources considered include his Lapland diary (1732), as well as the manuscript collection held at the Linnean Society of London, England. Using collected sketches, maps, tables, and diagrams, the author explores Linnaeus' use of visualization and his epistemology.

The titles reviewed in this section of Ibis are available for reference at the Alexander Library of the Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK. The library is open to Ibis readers, Monday to Friday (09:00–17:00 h). Please write, telephone (+44 (0)1 865 271143) or email ( or ) prior to your visit to ensure the library is open. The aim of the Alexander Library is to build up a comprehensive collection of literature as a service to ornithologists. Its holdings include an extensive range of periodicals and a large number of reprints drawn from many sources: additional reprints of readers’ papers are always welcome. The library has always greatly benefited from its close relationship with the BOU. For many years, all journals received in exchange for Ibis have been deposited in the library, as have most of the books sent for review, through the generosity of reviewers and publishers. In return, as a service to readers, this review section of Ibis is organized and edited by Michael G. Wilson and Professor Ben Sheldon of the Edward Grey Institute, with the help of a panel of contributors. They are always grateful for offers of further assistance with reviewing, especially with foreign-language titles. Books for review: publishers are kindly asked to send two copies of each title to Ibis Book Reviews, Alexander Library, EGI, Dept of Zoology, Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK. This book review section is supported by Subbuteo Natural History Books. Subbuteo are an international mail-order book company stocking over 2000 titles covering all natural and environmental sciences. They can also source titles from around the world. Titles reviewed in Ibis can be ordered from Subbuteo and payment can be made by credit card or cheques in £/$. Postage, packing and insurance is £1.99 per order. International postage is charged at cost; please contact Subbuteo for a quote. Subbuteo Natural History Books Ref. 0252, The Rea, Upton Magna, Shrewsbury SY4 4UR, UK. Tel: +44 (0)870 010 9700 Fax: +44 (0)870 010 9699 Email: Website: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]