Charles Livingston Bull – Old Crow & His Friends, 1918.

It was the Thunder Bird.

Away up on the top of a mountain, he made a house for North Wind.

Martin caught it and threw it to Bat, who was flying near the ground.

Hawk made a light by striking the flints together, and set fire to the ball.
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Illustrations by Charles Livingston Bull (1874–1932)
Published in Old Crow and His Friends (Animal adventures based upon Indian myths)
by Katharine B. Judson. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1918
(View and/or download this book at the Internet Archive)

From the early age of four, Charles Livingston Bull demonstrated a profound interest in animals and a talent for drawing. Pursuing better drafting skills, he enrolled in classes at the Rochester Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute (now the Rochester Institute of Technology). While in school, Bull began a taxidermist apprenticeship for the Ward Museum of Natural History in Rochester, New York. His task to dissect various animals and mounting skins allowed him to study animal anatomy and physiology. Professor Ward recognized Bull’s talent and sent him to the 1893 Chicago World Exposition to design an installation of 400 birds for the government of Guatemala. The impressive quality and speed of his work earned him the position of Chief Taxidermist at the National Museum in Washington, D.C. After work, Bull spent hours sketching at the zoo and taking night classes at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. He followed this routine for seven years, until he decided to pursue a freelance animal illustration career in New York City. Bull often sketched at the Bronx Zoo, memorizing poses and movements of live subjects. He illustrated more than 135 books and numerous articles for magazines, such as The Saturday Evening Post, Life, Collier’s, American Boy, and Country Gentleman. He accepted private mural commissions, created posters for the government, and completed advertising campaign commissions for Packard, Ringling Brothers, and Barnum & Bailey. –National Museum of Wildlife Art

(Images via the Library of Congress)
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