The Immeasurable Wilds: Travellers to the Far North of Scotland

Scotia Illustrata: Robert Sibbald's Early Natural History Images

Robert Sibbald (1641 - 1722) was an important figure in 17th century Scotland. He is described as a physician and antiquarian, and noted for being the first Professor of Medicine at Edinburgh University where he set up a department that led the way in Europe for medical research. In 1682 he was appointed Geographer-Royal for Scotland, and he is acknowledged, together with Sir Andrew Balfour, as being the founder of what became the Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh.

In 1684 he published a book with the title Scotia Illustrata sive Prodromus Historiae Naturalis, a large volume which attempts a comprehensive list of those examples of natural history, from animals, to plants, to minerals, which were found in Scotland at that time. A huge project for one man, which he accomplished by inviting people from all over Scotland to supply examples found in their area. This led to criticism at the time from two reviews (one by Archibald Pitcairne and the other by James Wilkinshaw) which suggested that the book relied too heavily on hearsay, but there is a suggestion that these reviewers were locked into a dispute with Sibbald.

The book is written entirely in Latin, which is a problem for those of us without a classical education. But there is a useful article online by Lee Raye, titled Robert Sibbald's Scotia Illustrata (1684): A faunal baseline for Britain, which originally appeared in the Royal Society Journal of the History of Science. Raye argues that Scotia Illustrata is a hugely important work that "focuses on the natural world of a single area....[that] provides presence/absence data for native species from the pre-industrial world." He suggests too that the research was carried out systematically: Sibbald sent out to his investigators a series of questions.

For a clear overview of the work, I suggest you seek out this article online (especially if your Latin is not up to the task of tackling the book directly!). Here, I intend to display the 22 engravings that can be found at the end of the book. These charming images were supplied by George Main and John Reid.

I am not a knowledgeable natural historian, nor a classical scholar, but I have done my best to identify what each image depicts. Do please correct me if I am wrong.

                                                                            1 Adiantho vero assine nostras, 2 Adianthum album Wemiense Tenuifolium,

                                                                            3 Trichomanes folio crenato, 4 Trichomanes folio pyramidali, 5 Muscus Asplenii Facie,

                                                                            6 Cochlites Lapis, 7 Mytulites Lapis.

The first five are, I believe, all types of fern. Cochlites and Mytulites shell are shells, here depicted as fossils.

Mergus Avis

Possibly Common Merganser duck.

1 Minera Crystalli Orrocini, 2 Lapis ex quo ferrum conficitur, 3 Alia minera Queensburnsis cum frustro plumbi incorporato

1 A crystal, 2 Stone from which iron is made, 3 Other minerals from Queensburn, including lead.