Relatively little firsthand is known of Jacob Post Giraud Jr.s lifeother than that he lived in New York traveled in adjoining states had a keeninterest in ornit... » 

Relatively little firsthand is known of Jacob Post Giraud Jr.s lifeother than that he lived in New York traveled in adjoining states had a keeninterest in ornithology was familiar with the works of earlier authoritiesand sporthunted on Long Island. He does not appear in major biographical orbibliographical references. To appreciate Girauds work one needs to place itinto a timeframe. The Introduction to his opus is dated June 1843. Only a fewsignificant books on American ornithology had been published by then. Theyincluded Alexander Wilsons 9volume American Ornithology 180814John JamesAudubons 4volume The Birds of America 182738 and his 5volumeOrnithological Biography 181339. Thomas Nuttalls A Manual of theOrnithology of the United States and of Canada The Water Birds 1834 and TheLand Birds 1840. Girauds contribution followed these major wellknowncontributions by only a few years in Wilsons case about three decades.Further Girauds Birds of Long Island must be among the very firstcomprehensive regional avian works. Oddly it is relatively little known.Henry M. Reeves. «