Here’s the entire quirky 1905 book Nebula to Man by Henry R. Knipe, nicely scanned and including all the fine illustrations.

Henry Knipe worked for the British Museum, supervising reconstructions of extinct animals. As the title suggests, this book is a kind of “history of everything” relating to life on Earth, but uniquely, it’s all written as an epic poem.

The illustrators include Ernest Bucknall, John Charlton, Joseph Smit, Lancelot Speed, Charles Whymper, Edward A. Wilson, and Alice B. Woodward.

Nebula to Man

Bubblecar said:

Here’s the entire quirky 1905 book Nebula to Man by Henry R. Knipe, nicely scanned and including all the fine illustrations.

Henry Knipe worked for the British Museum, supervising reconstructions of extinct animals. As the title suggests, this book is a kind of “history of everything” relating to life on Earth, but uniquely, it’s all written as an epic poem.

The illustrators include Ernest Bucknall, John Charlton, Joseph Smit, Lancelot Speed, Charles Whymper, Edward A. Wilson, and Alice B. Woodward.

Nebula to Man

Seems charming, what an odd thing to exist. Thanks for sharing this. What a marvellous thing the internet is.

One of the Joseph Smit illustrations, a cheery ichthyosaur beneath the rising sun.

Bubblecar said:

One of the Joseph Smit illustrations, a cheery ichthyosaur beneath the rising sun.

If I am ever going opal digging again, I still holf a hope to find at least a partial skeleton. Having found a belemnite cluster, which is typical upchuck of the bones. Belemnite spew.

Rather weirdly depicted Megalosaurus in this book, almost sauropod-like, eating a skunk-like critter. Below that for comparison, a modern depiction of Megalosaurus by Mark Witton.

Bubblecar said:

Rather weirdly depicted Megalosaurus in this book, almost sauropod-like, eating a skunk-like critter. Below that for comparison, a modern depiction of Megalosaurus by Mark Witton.

Not actually built for small prey like?

roughbarked said:

Bubblecar said:

Rather weirdly depicted Megalosaurus in this book, almost sauropod-like, eating a skunk-like critter. Below that for comparison, a modern depiction of Megalosaurus by Mark Witton.

Not actually built for small prey like?

I’d imagine they’d eat whatever meat was on offer, but they’d do it looking more like a typical theropod.

Bubblecar said:

roughbarked said:

Bubblecar said:

Rather weirdly depicted Megalosaurus in this book, almost sauropod-like, eating a skunk-like critter. Below that for comparison, a modern depiction of Megalosaurus by Mark Witton.

Not actually built for small prey like?

I’d imagine they’d eat whatever meat was on offer, but they’d do it looking more like a typical theropod.

A bit ike dogs snap at flies?

Teleosaurus snaffling a duck-billed platypus-like critter, while a Dimorphodon wings in from above.

Quite a daringly speculative depiction for 1905, given that the first Mesozoic monotreme fossil, Steropodon, wasn’t discovered until 80 years later.

In contrast to the strange Megalosaurus, this illustration by Smit in the same book was one of the most accurate depictions of Stegosaurus of its day.

Bubblecar said:

In contrast to the strange Megalosaurus, this illustration by Smit in the same book was one of the most accurate depictions of Stegosaurus of its day.

Ah yes, the old Thagomizer.