HISTORIC AND TAXONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF RECENTLY FOUND ARTWORK IN ARITHMETIC BOOKS OF STUDENTS OF WILSON,ALEXANDER

In 1991, The Gutman Library of Harvard University received four handwr itten arithmetic books dating from 1800-1803. Two of the books were de corated with stylized birds and a watercolor drawing of a bird was fou nd in one of the books. We conclude that the drawing is of a juvenile Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla), although other species are possible and are discussed. We further conclude that the artist was probably Wi lliam Bartram. Notes found in the handwritten arithmetic books attribu te the decorations to Alexander Wilson, but the evidence is circumstan tial and open to alternative explanations. The decorations are mostly of stylized birds rendered in different colors of ink and completed be fore Wilson's decision to catalogue the birds of North America and his commitment to learn to paint birds under the guidance of William Bart ram, an accomplished illustrator and naturalist. If Wilson's, the deco rations indicate that he possessed considerable artistic ability and i nterest in birds prior to undertaking his remarkable ''American Ornith ology.''