Research Guides: History and Philosophy of Science: Biology

Primary Sources

On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life by Charles Darwin
Call Number: QH365 .O2 1859
Publication Date: 1859
This book is considered to be the foundation of evolutionary biology. Darwin's work introduced the theory that populations evolve over the course of generations through the process of natural selection.
History of British Birds by Thomas Bewick
Call Number: QL690.G7 B5
Publication Date: 1797-1804
The History of British Birds examines some of the major British bird species with detailed observations and engravings. It was the best known work of Thomas Bewick, whose artistic skill as a wood engraver allowed him to produce such a finely illustrated book.
Historiae naturalis de quadrupedibus libri ... by Joannes Jonstonus
Call Number: QL41 .J72 1657
Publication Date: 1657
The work of Johannes Jonstonus, this well-illustrated work describes and classifies four-legged animals. It is an example of the organizational and descriptive strategies of 17th-century zoology.

Finding Aids at FSU

Finding aids are tools that help a user find information in a specific record group, collection, or series of archival materials. Examples of finding aids include published and unpublished inventories, container and folder lists, card catalogs, calendars, indexes, registers, and institutional guides. The finding aids below connect to archival documents in FSU's collection.

Donald L.D. Caspar Collection (MSS 2022-005): Donald Caspar (1927-2021) was a Professor of Biological Sciences at FSU. This collection contains publications, course materials, grant records, photographs, illustrations, video and sound recordings, documenting his academic career.

Department of Biological Sciences Ephemera (MSS 2008-012): This collection includes ephemera and records from the FSU Biology Department.

Dexter M. Easton Papers (MSS 2010-1209): This collection includes correspondence, lab notes, manuscripts of papers and a book and teaching materials for the FSU Biology Professor, Dexter Easton (1921-2010).

Bruce Means Papers (MSS 2018-004): field notes, biological and ecological data, journals, subject files, and audiovisual recordings documenting the research, professional output, and personal life of Bruce Means (1941- ), a research ecologist, author, and consultant.

External Resources

The Biodiversity Heritage Library: the world's largest open access digital library for biodiversity literature and archives.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society: A collection of publications by the Royal society pertaining to biological sciences