Edward StepFLS (11 November 1855 – 1931) was the author of many popular and specialist books on various aspects of nature.[1] His many works on botany, zoology and mycology were published between 1894 and (posthumously) 1941. Some of his books on flowers were illustrated by his daughter, Mabel Emily Step, including the 1905 pocket guide entitled Wayside and Woodland Blossoms. He also contributed to the periodical Science-Gossip: An Illustrated Monthly Record of Nature, Country Lore & Applied Science.
An inaccurate image showing a grasshopper feeding on a mouseAnother view
When Arthur Mee produced the first edition of his famous Children's Encyclopædia – initially as a fortnightly series from 1908 until 1910 – Edward Step agreed to contribute the articles on plant life. There were numerous illustrations to these, but they consisted of monochrome photographs attributed to Edward Connold.
Locust mythedit
Step created a myth of a mouse-eating grasshopper in his book 'Marvels of Insect Life (1915), where he wrote, "In the British Museum (Natural History) there is a specimen of one of the largest known locusts, which was received from a missionary in the Congo Free State a few years ago, who had taken it in the act of feasting upon a mouse it had caught.... The locust in question does not confine its attention to mice; large spiders, beetles and other insects, and probably small nestling birds serve it equally for food."[2] In fact no grasshopper is known to feed on mice.[3]
Step's views on evolution are not obvious from his books. At one point he referred to "the wonders of Creation".[4] However, he wrote a chapter in the same book on the giant tortoise of the Galapagos Islands that included a reference to Charles Darwin, but without a mention of evolution. Religious examples are frequent in his books, for example, quoting Beecher's "Of all man's works of art, a cathedral is greatest; a vast and majestic tree is greater than that", and again, "Thousands see in cathedral aisles the reproduction in stone of the pine-forest or the beech-wood."[5]
Bibliographyedit
This list of publications by Step and his co-authors is arranged in chronological order by the dates of the first editions of each work. It does not include the many revisions of his books that appeared into the 1960s.
Step E. (1894) By Vocal Woods and Waters: Studies from Nature, Bliss, Sands and Foster, London: 254 pp.
Step E. (1896) Favourite Flowers of the Garden and Greenhouse, (4 volumes) S.W. Partridge & Co. Ltd., London
Step E. (1896) By the Deep Sea: A Popular Introduction to the Wild Life of the British Shores, Jarrold & Sons Ltd., London: 322 pp.
Step E. (1899) Wayside and Woodland Blossoms: A Pocket Guide to British Wild-Flowers for the Country Rambler, (Illustrator: M.E. Step) Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 172 pp.
Cundall J. & Step E. (1898) The Everyday Book of Natural History, Jarrold & Sons Ltd., London: 485 pp.
Step E. (1899) By Sea-Shore, Wood and Moorland: Peeps at Nature, S.W. Partridge & Co. Ltd., London: 320 pp.
Pratt A. & Step E. (1899) Flowering Plants, Grasses, Sedges & Ferns of Great Britain and Their Allies the Club Mosses, Horsetails, &c., (4 volumes) Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY
Step E. (1901) The Romance of Wild Flowers: A Companion to the British Flora, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 357 pp.
Step E. (1901) Shell Life: An Introduction to the British Mollusca, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 414 pp.
Step E. (1902) The Little Folks Picture Natural History, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 64 pp.
Step E. (1903) The Harvest of the Woods: Autumnal Gleanings, Jarrold & Sons Ltd., London: 191 pp.
Step E. (1903) Wayside and Woodland Trees: A Pocket Guide to the British Sylva, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 308 pp.
Step E. (1905) Wayside and Woodland Blossoms, (3 volumes; illustrator: M.E. Step) Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY
Step E. (1905) Wild Flowers Month by Month in their Natural Haunts, (2 volumes) Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 400 pp.
Step E. (1908) Wayside and Woodland Ferns: A Guide to the British Ferns, Horsetails, and Club-Mosses, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 144 pp.
Step E. (1910) Nature in the Garden, (2 volumes) Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY
Step E. (1913) Messmates: A Book of Strange Companionships in Nature, Hutchinson & Co. Ltd., London: 220 pp.
Step E. (1913) Toadstools and Mushrooms of the Countryside: A Pocket Guide to the Larger Fungi, Frederick A. Stokes Co.; also Hutchinson & Co., London: 143 pp.
Knight A.E. & Step E. (1913) Popular Botany: The Living Plant from Seed to Fruit, (2 volumes) Henry Holt & Co. Inc., New York
Step E. (1915) Marvels of Insect Life: A Popular Account of Structure and Habit, Hutchinson & Co.; US edition by Robert M. McBride and Co., NY; 1935 edition by Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 520 pp.
Step E. (1919) Insect Artizans and Their Work, Hutchinson & Co.; later editions by Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 318 pp.
Step E. (1921) Animal Life of the British Isles: A Pocket Guide to the Mammals, Reptiles and Batrachians of Wayside and Woodland, (illustrator: W.J. Stokoe) Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 184 pp.
Bather F.A., Boulenger E.G., Step E. et al. (1923–24) Hutchinson's Animals of all Countries: The Living Animals of the World in Picture and Story, (Published in 50 parts) Hutchinson & Co. Ltd., London
Step E. (1924) Go To the Ant: A Popular Account of the Natural History Ants in all Countries, Hutchinson & Co. Ltd., London: 234 pp.
Step E. (1924) Hutchinson's Trees and Flowers of the Countryside, (2 volumes) Hutchinson & Co. Ltd., London
Knight A.E. & Step E. (1925) Hutchinson's Popular Botany: the living plant from seed to fruit; the fascinating story of the world's plants told in a popular manner, (2 volumes) Hutchinson & Co. Ltd., London
Step E. (1926) Herbs of Healing: A Book of British Simples, Hutchinson & Co. Ltd., London: 206 pp.
Step E. (1929) British Insect Life: A Popular Introduction to Entomology, (Illustrator: Alfred Priest) T. Werner Laurie Ltd., London: 264 pp.
Step E. (1930) Nature Rambles: an Introduction to Country-lore, (4 volumes) Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 256 pp.
Step E. (1931) Nature in the Garden: Wild Life at our Doors, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 256 pp.
Step E. (1932) Bees, Wasps, Ants and Allied Insects of the British Isles, (published posthumously) Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 238 pp.
edward, step, november, 1855, 1931, author, many, popular, specialist, books, various, aspects, nature, many, works, botany, zoology, mycology, were, published, between, 1894, posthumously, 1941, some, books, flowers, were, illustrated, daughter, mabel, emily,. Edward Step FLS 11 November 1855 1931 was the author of many popular and specialist books on various aspects of nature 1 His many works on botany zoology and mycology were published between 1894 and posthumously 1941 Some of his books on flowers were illustrated by his daughter Mabel Emily Step including the 1905 pocket guide entitled Wayside and Woodland Blossoms He also contributed to the periodical Science Gossip An Illustrated Monthly Record of Nature Country Lore amp Applied Science An inaccurate image showing a grasshopper feeding on a mouse Another view Contents 1 Children s Encyclopaedia 2 Locust myth 3 Bibliography 4 References 5 External linksChildren s Encyclopaedia editWhen Arthur Mee produced the first edition of his famous Children s Encyclopaedia initially as a fortnightly series from 1908 until 1910 Edward Step agreed to contribute the articles on plant life There were numerous illustrations to these but they consisted of monochrome photographs attributed to Edward Connold Locust myth editStep created a myth of a mouse eating grasshopper in his book Marvels of Insect Life 1915 where he wrote In the British Museum Natural History there is a specimen of one of the largest known locusts which was received from a missionary in the Congo Free State a few years ago who had taken it in the act of feasting upon a mouse it had caught The locust in question does not confine its attention to mice large spiders beetles and other insects and probably small nestling birds serve it equally for food 2 In fact no grasshopper is known to feed on mice 3 Step s views on evolution are not obvious from his books At one point he referred to the wonders of Creation 4 However he wrote a chapter in the same book on the giant tortoise of the Galapagos Islands that included a reference to Charles Darwin but without a mention of evolution Religious examples are frequent in his books for example quoting Beecher s Of all man s works of art a cathedral is greatest a vast and majestic tree is greater than that and again Thousands see in cathedral aisles the reproduction in stone of the pine forest or the beech wood 5 Bibliography editThis list of publications by Step and his co authors is arranged in chronological order by the dates of the first editions of each work It does not include the many revisions of his books that appeared into the 1960s Step E 1894 By Vocal Woods and Waters Studies from Nature Bliss Sands and Foster London 254 pp Step E 1896 Favourite Flowers of the Garden and Greenhouse 4 volumes S W Partridge amp Co Ltd London Step E 1896 By the Deep Sea A Popular Introduction to the Wild Life of the British Shores Jarrold amp Sons Ltd London 322 pp Step E 1899 Wayside and Woodland Blossoms A Pocket Guide to British Wild Flowers for the Country Rambler Illustrator M E Step Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY 172 pp Cundall J amp Step E 1898 The Everyday Book of Natural History Jarrold amp Sons Ltd London 485 pp Step E 1899 By Sea Shore Wood and Moorland Peeps at Nature S W Partridge amp Co Ltd London 320 pp Pratt A amp Step E 1899 Flowering Plants Grasses Sedges amp Ferns of Great Britain and Their Allies the Club Mosses Horsetails amp c 4 volumes Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY Step E 1901 The Romance of Wild Flowers A Companion to the British Flora Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY 357 pp Step E 1901 Shell Life An Introduction to the British Mollusca Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY 414 pp Step E 1902 The Little Folks Picture Natural History Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY 64 pp Step E 1903 The Harvest of the Woods Autumnal Gleanings Jarrold amp Sons Ltd London 191 pp Step E 1903 Wayside and Woodland Trees A Pocket Guide to the British Sylva Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY 308 pp Step E 1905 Wayside and Woodland Blossoms 3 volumes illustrator M E Step Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY Step E 1905 Wild Flowers Month by Month in their Natural Haunts 2 volumes Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY 400 pp Step E 1908 Wayside and Woodland Ferns A Guide to the British Ferns Horsetails and Club Mosses Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY 144 pp Step E 1910 Nature in the Garden 2 volumes Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY Step E 1913 Messmates A Book of Strange Companionships in Nature Hutchinson amp Co Ltd London 220 pp Step E 1913 Toadstools and Mushrooms of the Countryside A Pocket Guide to the Larger Fungi Frederick A Stokes Co also Hutchinson amp Co London 143 pp Knight A E amp Step E 1913 Popular Botany The Living Plant from Seed to Fruit 2 volumes Henry Holt amp Co Inc New York Step E 1915 Marvels of Insect Life A Popular Account of Structure and Habit Hutchinson amp Co US edition by Robert M McBride and Co NY 1935 edition by Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY 520 pp Step E 1919 Insect Artizans and Their Work Hutchinson amp Co later editions by Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY 318 pp Step E 1921 Animal Life of the British Isles A Pocket Guide to the Mammals Reptiles and Batrachians of Wayside and Woodland illustrator W J Stokoe Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY 184 pp Bather F A Boulenger E G Step E et al 1923 24 Hutchinson s Animals of all Countries The Living Animals of the World in Picture and Story Published in 50 parts Hutchinson amp Co Ltd London Step E 1924 Go To the Ant A Popular Account of the Natural History Ants in all Countries Hutchinson amp Co Ltd London 234 pp Step E 1924 Hutchinson s Trees and Flowers of the Countryside 2 volumes Hutchinson amp Co Ltd London Knight A E amp Step E 1925 Hutchinson s Popular Botany the living plant from seed to fruit the fascinating story of the world s plants told in a popular manner 2 volumes Hutchinson amp Co Ltd London Step E 1926 Herbs of Healing A Book of British Simples Hutchinson amp Co Ltd London 206 pp Step E 1929 British Insect Life A Popular Introduction to Entomology Illustrator Alfred Priest T Werner Laurie Ltd London 264 pp Step E 1930 Nature Rambles an Introduction to Country lore 4 volumes Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY 256 pp Step E 1931 Nature in the Garden Wild Life at our Doors Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY 256 pp Step E 1932 Bees Wasps Ants and Allied Insects of the British Isles published posthumously Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY 238 pp References edit Step Edward Who s Who 1918 p 2266 Step E 1915 Marvels of Insect Life A Popular Account of Structure and Habit Hutchinson amp Co London Song Hojun 2007 Mouse catching Locust A Mysterious Creature Revealed PDF Metaleptea 27 1 6 7 Archived from the original PDF on 22 June 2010 Step E 1899 By Sea Shore Wood and Moorland Peeps at Nature S W Partridge amp Co Ltd London 320 pp Step E 1903 Wayside and Woodland Trees A Pocket Guide to the British Sylva Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY 308 pp External links editWorks by Edward Step at Project Gutenberg Works by Edward Step at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp Step E 1903 Wayside and Woodland Trees A Pocket Guide to the British Sylva Frederick Warne amp Co Ltd London amp NY Works by or about Edward Step at Internet Archive On Step s contributions to the Children s Encyclopaedia see Tracey Michael 2008 The World of the Edwardian Child as seen in Arthur Mee s Children s Encyclopaedia 1908 1910 nbsp Media related to Edward Step at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Edward Step amp oldid 1013052229, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
