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Beautiful Scientific Chart of the Distribution of Animals Across the World
Zoogeographic world map, first published for A.K. Johnston's Physical Atlas in 1848 (based on Heinrich Berghaus' Physikalischer Atlas), emphasizes the growing body of biological scientific knowledge, before Charles Darwin's 1859 work On the Origin of Species. The thematic map combines the sciences of biology and cartography to show animal habitats worldwide, categorizing them into taxons Simiae, Prosimiae, Edentata, Pachydermata, and Marsupalia.
Surrounding these maps are engraved illustrations of animals, each linked to their scientific and English names. Shading on the map signifies regions with a higher species concentration. These illustrations further break down the distinction between Old and New World animals, sometimes getting continent-specific if necessary. The exclusion of the Iberian Peninsula and Italy from the range of wild boar is a puzzling omission.
Zoological Geography offers an intriguing glimpse into the knowledge of the natural science community during the mid-19th century. The 1800s was a golden era for early biology as the topic exploded in public and scientific communities worldwide. This map showcases the intersection between cartography and other natural sciences that became increasingly popular throughout the century.
![[Early Photographic Facsimile in 24-Sheet of the Verrazano World Map]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/67041.jpg)
