Featured on PDR in the collection Bird Gods (1898)

A book on various birds from mythology by the American linguist, poet, and critic Charles DeKay (1848-1935). An art and literary critic who worked for 18 years for the New York Times, DeKay was also an ardent fan of fencing, founding the Fencer's Club in New York as well as a host of other clubs, including the Author’s club, the National Sculpture Society, and the National Arts Club. Speaking fluent German, French, and Italian, as well as studying Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit, DeKay's linguistic background is apparent in the book as he traces the various cultures and mythologies that the different birds appear in. He presents the idea that, rather than the more distant celestial objects, it is the animals that have surrounded us which…