author
C. J. (Charles Johnson) Maynard
1845–1929
A self-taught naturalist with a sharp eye for birds, shells, and insects, he spent decades turning close observation into practical books for fellow nature lovers. His work mixed field science, collecting, taxidermy, and even his own methods for producing color illustrations.
1 Audiobook
Manual of Taxidermy A Complete Guide in Collecting and Preserving Birds and Mammals
by C. J. (Charles Johnson) Maynard
About the author
Born in Newton, Massachusetts, in 1845, Charles Johnson Maynard became an American naturalist and ornithologist known for his wide-ranging curiosity and hands-on approach to science. He studied birds closely, worked as a collector and taxidermist, and also wrote about mollusks, insects, mosses, and other natural-history subjects.
Maynard published many of his own books and guides, including works on birds, taxidermy, and butterflies. Contemporary accounts note that this was unusual for the time, especially because he developed his own process for producing color plates, helping him bring the creatures he studied to life on the page.
He remained closely tied to his hometown of Newton throughout his life and died in 1929. Today he is remembered as a hardworking observer of the natural world whose books connected careful science with the enthusiasm of amateur naturalists.