"Medieval scribes gave a variety of titles to the Book of Birds... Here I will refer to it as the Aviary, for in many respects it parallels prose versions of a familiar genre, the bestiary. ... In recent times the Aviary has been the subject of a number of studies, all dealing summarily or only in part with the text, the illustrations, and the manuscripts. ... While these studies have made valuable contributions to an understanding of the Aviary, no one has analyzed the complete text in detail, nor has anyone compared the text and illustrations of the many copies in order to group the manuscripts textually and pictorially, nor placed their illustrations in their proper stylistic context. ... Therefore, in addition to an art historical study of the manuscript tradition, I have provided a modern edition and an English translation of the Aviary... In the introduction I analyze the manuscript groups and discuss style in individual manuscripts in relation to their respective groups. I also provide a catalog of all the extant Aviary manuscripts known to me. ... My purpose in publishing this edition and translation is to provide easy access to Hugh's appealing treatise on birds. I have not sought to establish an authorial text, but to present a text which seems to reflect the original at a reasonably close range. ... The edition is based upon the Heiligenkreuz Aviary (Heiligenkreuz Abbey MS. 226), an early copy, complete in text and illustrations." - Clark, preface

341 pp. of text, 49 pp. of black & white illustrations, catalogue of illuminated Aviary manuscripts, bibliography, general index, index of manuscripts cited.

[See also van den Abeele, 2003]

Language: English

ISBN: 0-86698-091-1; LCCN: 90048430; LC: PA8275.B4H8131992; DDC: 878/.30720