Mulsant & Verreaux. [Grey-tailed Hummingbird] Oreopyra Cinereicauda. 1874. Thomas Birch The Wilkes expedition was the

The Wilkes expedition was the first time that the USA had sent out a naval expedition to gather intelligence and scientific data on various parts of the world to compete with European dominance

Copperplate engraving with original hand color

which replaced his 1630 world map

reflect European perceptions of the Americas as both exotic and abundant with resources

“we reached Sumauma [

Mulsant & Verreaux. [Grey-tailed Hummingbird] Oreopyra Cinereicauda. 1874. Thomas Birch The Wilkes expedition was theMulsant & Verreaux [Grey tailed Hummingbird] Oreopyra Cinereicauda from Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux Mouches, ou Colibris constituant la famille des Trochildes Published: Lyon, 1874 Lithograph with original hand coloring Paper size: 12 1 4 x 8 3 4 Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux Mouches, ou Colibris constituant la famille des Trochildes (The Natural History of Hummingbirds constituting the Trochilidae family) was published in 1874 by prominent French