This HTML edition of Audubon's Birds of America was generated from the CMC CD ROM version. After buying the CD and browsing it a bit I realized what a great resource Audubon's Birds of America is. What I originally set out to do was to provide easy access to this resource. The original CD contained a DOS executable, the text of the book, scans of Audubon's paintings and an audio track containing the bird calls. Since I did not own a DOS computer at that time, the only way for me to view all this lovely information was to convert it to a more useful format. The HTML version is useful to anyone who has a web browser.
I have attempted to present Audubon's work in the simplest format possible. Aside from converting the plates and figures into GIF format and the texts from flat ascii to HTML I have made few changes. In some instances I have added a word or image to the text to hang a reference on, however these are all cosmetic changes.
The audio extensions have required the greatest conversion. In the CD ROM edition the bird calls are included as a separate audio track. The DiscPassage software (the DOS program included on the CD) uses the CD drive to play them. In order to make the audio available over the network I have recorded the audio track into a data file and sliced it up into its component bird calls. Each of these is then available individually over the network. Unfortunately, they are not available over the web as they are all copyrighted by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and may only be reproduced under license.
Finally I have added extensive cross-references. This, of course, is the strength of HTML documents. I have added lists of the Plates, Figures and Bird Calls. One particularly telling addition has been the index to birds which have gone extinct or been added to the Endangered Species List since Audubon's time. I have attempted to be true to Audubon's original work although scanned images can only be a pale ghost of the originals. Remember that the originals are all printed life size.
I have left CMC's commentary and copyright notices completely intact as recognition of their effort in putting the original CDROM together. As far as copyright goes, I am still seeking their permission to use their initial scans and ascii text. I first applied to them in April 1995 when I began this project, but received no response. Sometime in 1996 I discovered that the CDROM was out of print and CMC had disappeared. In August of 1998 I exchanged email with someone at the company who bought CMC. I was told that all the material on the CD was licensed from various sources and the licenses had since expired. I applied for permission to use their CDROM as the source for my web site but am still awaiting an official reply.
Despite my best efforts I am sure that something, somewhere has gone wrong. I would appreciate it if anyone finding such a flaw, whether it be a missing page or a stray misspelling, would report it to me.
--rrb.
12 September 1998