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How to Tell the Birds from the Flowers and Other Woodcuts · Chapters

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Chapter companions for How to Tell the Birds from the Flowers and Other Woodcuts by Robert Williams Wood.

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  1. Chapter 1

    How to Tell the Birds from the Flowers and Other Woodcuts

    A revised manual introducing the field of flornithology for beginners, humorously confusing birds with flowers and other natural elements.

  2. Chapter 2

    Intro‑duc‑tion

    The author introduces a humorous guide to flornithology, critiquing traditional nature books that confuse plants and birds, and presenting a new collection that explores the strange homologies between flowers and birds.

  3. Chapter 3

    Burr; Bird

    The chapter humorously highlights the common confusion between a bird and a burdock, noting that few people can tell them apart and even Mr. Burbank cannot transform a bird into a plant.

  4. Chapter 4

    The Crow; The Crocus

    This chapter humorously explores the confusion between a crow and a crocus, attributing the mix-up to ignorance of nature's laws. It plays on homophones and bird behavior, contrasting the cawing of crows with the silent crocus.

  5. Chapter 5

    The Clover; The Plover

    The chapter humorously distinguishes between the plover and the clover by referencing the habits of bees and the expertise of entomologists and etymologists, playing on the presence or absence of the letter 'B'.

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  1. Chapter 6The Ole Gander; The Oleander
  2. Chapter 7The Hen; The Lichen
  3. Chapter 8The Pelican; The Panicle
  4. Chapter 9The Pea; The Pewee
  5. Chapter 10The Parrot; The Carrot
  6. Chapter 11The Rue; The Rooster
  7. Chapter 12The Hawk; The Hollyhock
  8. Chapter 13The Pecan; The Toucan
  9. Chapter 14The Cat‑bird; The Cat‑nip
  10. Chapter 15The Quail; The Kale
  11. Chapter 16The Auk; The Orchid
  12. Chapter 17The Cow Bird; The Cowslip
  13. Chapter 18The Butter‑ball; The Butter‑cup
  14. Chapter 19The Roc; The Shamrock
  15. Chapter 20A Sparrer; Asparagus
  16. Chapter 21The Blue Mountain Lory; The Blue Morning Glory
  17. Chapter 22The Tern; The Turnip
  18. Chapter 23The Larks; The Larkspur
  19. Chapter 24Cross Bill; Sweet William
  20. Chapter 25The Ibis; The ’Ibiscus
  21. Chapter 26The Pipe; The Snipe
  22. Chapter 27The Jay; The Bay
  23. Chapter 28The Gent‑ians; The Lady‑bird
  24. Chapter 29Puffin; Nuffin
  25. Chapter 30The Bee; The Beet; The Beetle
  26. Chapter 31The Bunny; The Tunny
  27. Chapter 32The Puss; The Octo‑pus
  28. Chapter 33The Eel; The Eelephant
  29. Chapter 34The Ant; The Pheas‑ant
  30. Chapter 35The Hare; The Harrier
  31. Chapter 36The Pen‑guin; The Sword‑fish
  32. Chapter 37The Gnu; The Newt
  33. Chapter 38The Ray; The Raven
  34. Chapter 39The Ape; The Grape
  35. Chapter 40The Doe; The Dodo
  36. Chapter 41The Pipe‑fish; The Sea‑gar
  37. Chapter 42The Elk; The Whelk
  38. Chapter 43The P‑cock; The Q‑cumber
  39. Chapter 44The Sloe; The Sloth
  40. Chapter 45The Cow; The Cowry
  41. Chapter 46The Antelope; The Cantelope
  42. Chapter 47The Pansy; The Chim‑pansy
  43. Chapter 48Naught; Nautilus
  44. Chapter 49The Coot; The Bandicoot
  45. Chapter 50The Pitcher Plant; The Fly‑catcher
  46. Chapter 51The Yellow‑hammer; The Saw‑fish
  47. Chapter 52Author's Add‑end‑'em
  48. Chapter 53Endnotes
  49. Chapter 54List of Illustrations