The Birdman of McGill: Casey Wood - Avid Collector, Magnanimous Donor and Generous Friend
Great library collections are enriched by donations from great individual collectors. McGill Library’s extraordinary strengths in its ornithological collections, palm leaf manuscripts, Kashmiri lacquer and bible boxes are largely the result of the personal collecting of Casey Wood. Come join us as we uncover the gems of an avid collector with a particular passion for birds. Born in Wellington, Ontario in 1856, Casey Wood was educated in Ottawa, at Bishop's and McGill Universities, with further studies in Berlin, Vienna, Paris and London. He was a widely known ophthalmologist, ornithologist, prolific author, translator, editor, bibliophile, and traveller. The Library was fortunate to have this magnanimous donor as a friend. Casey Wood maintained his ties to McGill and bestowed his magnificent collections on the University. The treasures on display are drawn from the holdings of Rare Books and Special Collections, the Osler Library of the History of Medicine, the Redpath Museum and the Faculty of Medicine.
