| Special Collections
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E. A. McIlhenny Natural History Collection
In 1971, the LSU Libraries acquired by gift the natural history portion of the library of Edward Avery McIlhenny, scion of a prominent Louisiana family, the producers of the world-famous condiment Tabasco. President of the family enterprise, McIlhenny was also a renowned naturalist and conservationist, who established the well-known bird sanctuary and jungle gardens on the family properties at Avery Island. Building on the firm foundation established by E. A. McIlhenny, and with the continuing support of the late John Stauffer McIlhenny, the Collection has been developed into one of the most prestigious of its kind. It includes works from all periods relating to the broad field of natural history, but it is especially strong in New World botanical and ornithological illustration. Among the more important works in the collection are the great elephant folio of John James Audubon's Birds of America, Mark Catesby's Natural History of the Carolinas, John Gould's Hummingbirds, Lear's Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae, or Parrots, and Banks' Florilegium. Recent acquisitions include an archive of some 32 original pencil drawings--thirteen in Audubon's own hand--associated with the production of the Royal Octavo edition of the Birds of America.
Both E.A. McIlhenny and John Stauffer McIlhenny were connoisseurs as well as a collectors, and many of the works in the collection are distinguished exemplars in excellent condition, some in fine or special bindings. For additional information about the McIlhenny Collection call Elaine Smyth at (225) 578-6552 (esmyth@LSU.EDU).
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More than 220 illustrations of native Louisiana plants commissioned by Louisiana State University (see Flora of Louisiana from the LSU Press) and created by distinguished botanical artist 
