Hodierna, D. Joannis Baptistae

De Dentis in Vipera Virulenta Anatomia

Palermo: Salernus V.G., 1646. First edition. Pp. 11. Early brown full antique calf, spine with gilt decorations, borders of front and rear covers with elaborate gilt designs, sm 8vo. This very rare work is the first study of the fangs of vipers. From the private research collection of Cornell University herpetologist Kraig Adler with his small bookplate on the front attached endpaper. Receipt from bookseller in Italy for 1,500 Euro dated 10/13/2008 to Kraig Alder is tipped in at rear. A bright and clean copy in near fine condition in a very attractive binding..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 8929

Catalogue: Fine and Rare

Holbrook, John Edwards

North American Herpetology; or A Description of the Reptiles Inhabiting the United States, in five volumes (Second edition)

Philadelphia: J. Dobson, 1842. Second edition. Pp. xv, 17-152; vi, 9-142; ii, 3-128; vi, 7-136; vi, 5-118, (1, errata); with 147 hand-colored plates. Publisher’s original one-half dark red leather, spine with four raised bands, lettered in gilt in two compartments, over newer marbled boards, square 4to (11 3/4 x 10 1/2 inches). John Edwards Holbrook (1796–1871) was an American physician, zoologist, herpetologist, and naturalist. He is considered the Father of American Herpetology. According to Kraig Adler (History, p. 33), John Holbrook’s scientific reputation rests on his books “North American Herpetology” (first edition in four volumes, 1836-1840, second edition in five volumes, 1842, and “Ichthyology of South Carolina” (first edition, 1855-1857). In his “Herpetology,” which he began in the mid-1820s, Holbrook described and illustrated every American species, which at the time meant primarily east of the Mississippi River (Adler, History, p. 33). Holbrook also researched the literature to determine the correct scientific names to be used, thus helping to stabilize the nomenclature. Perhaps the outstanding feature of his “Herpetology,” was the quality of the illustrations. Adler (p. 33) states that Holbrook was obsessed with providing scientifically accurate and life-like drawings. He employed as many as 17 artists to achieve this accuracy (p. 33). Holbrook also obtained live specimens of nearly all species to help the artists to accurate depicts the color and morphology. During the final production of the first edition, Holbrook became so dissatisfied with the quality of the illustrations that he abandoned its completion and instead issued a second edition in 1842. This second edition (offered here) was rearranged to follow the current taxonomy of the day. The plate number was increased to 147 scientifically accurate hand-colored plates. No subsequent revisions were made to this work. Aside from a three-page list of the amphibians and reptiles of Georgia published in 1849, this second edition of “Herpetology” represents Holbrook’s final contribution to the field of herpetology. According to Sabin (32454), this work is “worthy of a place in the library of the naturalists by the side of Audubon and Wilson.” Faint blind stamp of the ‘Library of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge’ on the outer top corner of the title page of each volume. Volume 3 has the signature of Harriott Pinckney Holbrook along the top edge of the title page. She is a descendant of John Edward Holbrook’s brother. Very scarce work especially in such nice condition. Some occasional foxing to the text and to the title page of volume 5, fraying to the outer edge of plate 1 in volume 2, the fine hand-colored plates are bright and clean, a tight copy in very good condition..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 9759

Catalogue: Fine and Rare

Hoog, Robert and Bull, Henry Graves (editors)

The Herefordshire Pomona, containing figures and descriptions of the most esteemed kinds of Apples and Pears, Volume 2 only with 77 fine chromolithographs colored from Nature by Miss Ellis and Miss Bull

Hereford, England: Jakeman and Carver, 1876-1885. First edition. Pp. 453 (un-numbered), 77 full-page fine chromolithographed plates from watercolors by Edith E. Bull, Alice B. Ellis and W.G. Smith, lithographed by G. Severeyns of Brussels, 380 line-drawings of fruit in cross-section as text-figures. Contemporary full dark green pebble cloth, lettered in gilt on the spine, original salmon-colored endpapers, thick folio (14.75 x 12 inches; 375 x 300 mm). The binding is by Evans and Mackie of Worcester with the publisher's sticker on bottom outer corner of rear endpaper. This work was published under the auspices of the Woolhope Naturalist's Field Club; it is one of the finest fruit books ever published illustrating 432 different varieties of apples and pears. The Pomona was issued in seven parts and sold by subscription; only 600 copies were printed. Offered here is volume 2 only. Volume 1 contains about 221 pages of text, one portrait and 3 uncolored plates. All 77 of the fine chromolithograph plates and accompanying text is found in volume 2. This work was initiated to restore Herefordshire to its fruit-growing supremacy by drawing the attention of growers to the best varieties of fruit available (Sotheby's Magnificent Botanical Books, pg. 49). This volume is a classic of late Victorian natural history. It is the most comprehensive study of the apples and pears grown in England ever published. The Herefordshire orchards have long been known to possess a wide variety of apples and pears. To document this diversity, the Pomona Committee of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club in Hereford made a detailed compilation of apple and pear varieties over a ten year period in the 1860s and early 1870s. This resulted in this comprehensive volume financed by subscription by the nobility and gentry of Herefordshire. Its publication led to the restocking of numerous British orchards with lost varieties of apples and pears. See also Great Flower Books, 1700-1900 (1990), p. 110 and Stafleu and Cowan, 2927. No ownership marks. Just of touch of foxing to the top or bottom margin of six color plates only (plates 6, 9, 17, 60, 65 and 70) - all of the color plates are very bright and clean, there is light foxing to the title page to the following quotation page, additionally the last two text pages show some scattered foxing as do a few other text pages only, the bottom corner of the front cover has an old crease that has been repaired, the cloth on spine has been professionally rebacked with no loss to cloth; a bright, tight and clean copy in very good condition..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 8180

Catalogue: Fine and Rare

Jacobaeus, Oliger

De Ranis Observationes: accessit Caspari Bartholini th. f. de nervorum usu in motu musculorum epistola

Parisiis: Apud Ludovicum Billaine, 1776. First edition. Pp. xiv (half-title, title, dedication, preface, eimio viro), 1-108 (includes text + epistola + breviaria capitum); 3 folding text-figures bound in at page 76.  Old stiff pale-pink paper wrappers, 12mo (18.6 x 11.6 cm).  This is Oliger Jacobaeus' dissertation on frog anatomy and ontogeny.  This is the first book published that is devoted exclusively to frogs.  The text is in Latin and Ancient Greek.  From the private research collection of Cornell University herpetologist Kraig Adler with his small bookplate on the verso of the half-title page.  Very small circular stamp at the base of the title page (not intelligible).  Rare work seldom offered. Old repairs to the outer margins of the half-title and title pages with no effect to the text, some text-browning and spotting to the last few pages, a few old pencil marks in the margins of the text; a tight copy in very good condition..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 8931

Catalogue: Fine and Rare

Klein, Jacob Theodor

Tentamen Herpetologiae

Leidae & Gottingae (=Leiden and Gottingen): Eliam Luzac, 1755. First edition. Pp. (i)-iv, (1)-72; 2 monochrome foldout copper-plate engravings by Jan Wandelaar (unsigned). One-half red morocco leather over marbled boards, sm 4to (20 cm width x 26.7 cm height), bound by Fritz and Trudi of Philadelphia in 1976. This is Klein's best-known work to herpetologists because in it he was the first to use the word for their discipline (herpetology, specifically, Herpeta in the nominative case on page 1 and herpetologiae in the objective case on page 1 and the title page). However, his taxonomic reference to this word was far different than the use of the word today. For instance, the animals making up the Herpeta included are legless animals such as earthworms, tapeworms and leeches in addition to snakes. Left out are the four-legged frogs, toads, lizards. There is only one reptile illustrated in this book (on plate 1). However, it is not a snake but instead a two-legged, lizard-like animal possessing large hind limbs. Klein had not seen this specimen and simply cited the authority of Hiob Ludolf (1624-1704), a German orientalist. Starting in 1999 this image was incorporated into the official logo of the International Society for the History and Bibliography of Herpetology. The author's preface was dated February 5, 1752, so there likely a delay in printing the book. As an addendum (pages 67-72), Klein included an essay on tapeworms by Johann August Unzer, a German physician who trained in Halle and practiced medicine in Hamburg (modified after notes by Kraig Adler). This addition fits the theme of Klein's concept of the Herpeta. See also Agassiz 1853, 3: 366 (9); BMNH 2: 992; Engelmann 1846: 428; Nissen ZBI: 227 (2210) and Zool. Soc. London 1902: 336. This volume is very scarce; it seldom comes up for sale. Old small oval stamp with the following initials ""T. L., B.M.P."" on the title page. From the research library of herpetologist Kraig Adler with his signature on the title page and his small bookplate on the front pastedown. A touch of light foxing to the title page and to the margins of a few other pages; a bright and clean copy in near fine condition in a very attractive binding..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 8039

Catalogue: Fine and Rare

Klein, Jacob Theodor

Tentamen Methodi Ostracologicae sive Dispositio Naturalis Conchlidum et Concharum in suas Classes, Genera et Species

Leiden: George Jacob Wishoff, 1753. First edition. Pp. (10), 177, (35), 44, 16, (2); 12 full-page folding copper-plate engravings.  Title page is lettered in red and black.  Publisher’s original full brown two-color leather in panels, rebacked with new leather spine with five raised bands and red leather spine label letter in gilt, marbled endpapers renewed, sm 4to (250 x 200 mm).  This work provides a detailed classification of shells and shell fossils, drawing on the work of other scientists, especially George Rumpf and Filippo Klein.  The volume also includes a section on the formation and coloring of shells followed by a commentary in Pliny's writings about shells.  See also BMNH II, p. 992 and Nissen ZBI 2211.  Discrete stamp of “Richard I. Johnson” to the title page.  Mr. Johnson (1925-2020) was a long time Research Associate at Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology.  He published his first scientific article in 1941, at the age of 16, beginning his life as a gentleman scholar, an amateur with a worldwide scholarly reputation who produced more than 50 papers about malacology.  He served in the U.S. Army in World War II, before returning to Massachusetts and graduating from Harvard in 1951.  Over six decades Johnson assembled perhaps the largest private collection of books and journals on molluscs, including titles seldom found even in research libraries.  Also includes small name stamp of Zoologisk Museum in Copenhagen, Denmark on the front endpaper. Page edges a bit darkened, some light foxing and browning to the text, a very good copy in an attractive binding..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 9433

Catalogue: Fine and Rare

Krefft, Gerard

The Snakes of Australia; an illustrated and descriptive catalogue of all known species (with all 12 plates hand-colored and warmly inscribed by the author)

Sydney: Printed for the author by Thomas Richards, Government Printer, 1869. First edition. Pp. i-xxv + (1)-100; 12 hand-colored lithographic plates. Publisher's original one-half grayish-brown polished calf leather, spine with 5 raised bands, one compartment has a red morocco title/author label lettered in gilt, over gray marbled boards, housed in gray cloth-covered custom-made clamshell box, lettered in gilt on the spine on a black morocco title label, 4to (12 x 9.25 inches; 300 x 238 mm). Only 700 copies of this book were issued; most copies did not have all of the plates hand-colored as seen in this volume. This is Krefft's herpetological magnum opus, the first major treatise exclusively about Australian reptiles. It was produced wholly in Australia and was up to the best standards of contemporary natural history publishing. The hand-colored plates are technically well produced, but suffered from the fact the artists, two sisters, were both afraid of snakes. They would only illustrate living specimens from photographs or from museum specimens taken out of bottles of alcohol, which accounts for the coiled positions of some subjects. The artists were Harriet Scott (1830-1907) and Helena ""Nellie"" Scott Ford (1832-1910, daughters of a businessman and amateur Australian naturalist, Alexander Walker Scott, author of Australian Lepidoptera, 1864-1898 (modified from description by Adler). This copy is warmly inscribed by the author along top of the title page: ""His Highness Prince Ferdinand Philipp, Duke of Saxony, with awe, the Author"" (translated from the old German). The complete name of the prince is Ferdinand Philipp of Saxe-Colburg and Gotha, Duke of Saxony (1844-1921). This volume is from the private research library of herpetologist Kraig Alder with his small bookplate on the front attached endpaper and his signature on a blank endpaper dated 1997. See also BMNH 2:1026; Nissen ZBI: 235 (2302); Casey Wood 1931: 422; Zhao and Adler 1993: 380. A rare work with very interesting associations. Light scuffing to the leather on outer corners and along the head and foot of the spine; a remarkably well-preserved bright and clean copy in near fine condition in a fine cloth-covered clamshell box..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 8129

Catalogue: Fine and Rare

Kuroda, Nagamichi

Birds of the Island of Java, in 2 volumes

Tokyo: Published by the Author, 1933. First edition Pp. xv, 1-370; vi, 371-794, (1); with 34 color plates by Shigekazu Kobayashi and Nagahisa Kuroda, 2 folding maps. Publisher’s original wine-red half-cloth over lighter red boards, spine is boldly lettered in gilt, in original tan dust jackets with tan labels, printed in black, for author, title and volume number, both volumes housed in the original shipping boxes, folio (15 x 11 inches). A rare early work on the ornithology of Java, the largest of the islands of Indonesia. This work presents the most comprehensive catalogue of Java birds, describing in detail 25 families and 225 species of Passeres in the first volume and the whole non-Passeres order in the second. The images are crowded, typically ten to fifteen to a plate, and offer an excellent representation of the birds. The majority of the plates are by Shigekazu Kobayashi, considered the leading bird artist in Japan. Two plates are by author’s fourteen-year-old son, Nagahisa Kuroda. No ownership marks. Light edge wear to outer cloth joints, shipping boxes show some wear and rubbing, a tight and clean copy in near fine condition..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 9688

Catalogue: Fine and Rare

Kuroda, Nagamichi

A Contribution to the Knowledge of the Avifauna of the Riu Kiu Islands and the vicinity

Tokyo, published by the author, 1925. First edition Pp. vi, 293 + 8 full page color plates (from painting by Juzo Kobayashi), 1 large folding map, 1 table. Later red morocco with five gilt-decorated raised bands with gilt-lettering in two panels and blind-stamped birds in four other panels, over rose-colored silt cloth, top page edge gilt, folio (15.25 x 10.75 inches). This monograph is based primarily on 14 months of fieldwork from 1921-1922 in the Riu Kiu islands (also known as the Loo Cho islands) that stretch between the Japanese island chain and Formosa (now Taiwan). Zoogeographically, the islands span the Palaearctic region (Japan) and the Oriental region (Taiwan); Kuroda thought this was one of the most interesting ornithological regions of the world from a zoogeographic point of view. The monograph describes 281 species and subspecies based on 1621 skins collected in 1921-22 and reviews all other specimens in museums in around the world. A very through monograph of great regional import in an exceedingly attractive binding. Less than 500 copies were printed. No ownership marks, a beautiful copy in fine condition..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 2830

Catalogue: Fine and Rare

Keywords: Ornithology birds avifauna

Latham, John

A General History of Birds, 11 volumes, complete with index, bound in 5 thick volumes.

Winchester: Printed by Jacob and Johnson for the author, 1821-1828. First edition Pp. xxxii, 375, (1); (2), 340; (4), 416; (4), 362, (1); (2), 350, (1); (4), 416; (2), 362, (1); (2), 376, (1); (2), 391, (1); (2), 433, (1); 456; index: (2), 17, (134); with 193 hand-colored copperplate engravings. Early one-half calf leather, spine lettered in gilt and with gilt panel lines and other gilt decorations, over original marbled boards with matching marbled endpapers, most volumes with tissue guards present, thick 4to (10 3/4 x 8 1/2 inches). Zimmer (pp. 376-377) states: 'A new edition of the author's ""General Synopsis of Birds,"" 1781-85 (q.v.), rewritten and enlarged to include the species treated in the two supplements to that work as well as forms discovered since their publication.' This major work attempted to cover all bird species from every part of the known world with special emphasis on Australia and the South Seas. Latham is often known as the ""grandfather of Australian ornithology"" due to his descriptions of birds collected in Phillip's Voyage to Botany Bay published in 1789. Latham was the first to describe a number of important Australian species such as the lyre-bird, the white cockatoo and the emu. As a founding member of the Linnean Society, Latham was very well connected in ornithological circles in England. This gave him access to many recently discovered bird specimens that reached London from the South Seas, Australia and elsewhere. For a complete collation, see Zimmer 376-377; see also Anker 277-278, Wood 427, Nissen 532 and Fine Bird Books (1990) 114. Attractive bookplate of Thomas Perry on the front endpaper. Light rubbing to marbled boards, occasional foxing to some tissue guards only and to a few text pages (generally quite minor), a few plates show faint offsetting to text; overall a very attractive bright and clean copy in near fine condition..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 3754

Catalogue: Fine and Rare

Keywords: Fine rare ornithology birds

Loudon, Jane Wells

The Ladies' Flower-Garden [comprising] Ornamental Annuals (1844); Ornamental Perennials (1850); Ornamental Bulbous Plants (1850); Ornamental Greenhouse Plants (1860) and British Wild Flowers (1859), in 5 volumes, complete

London: William Smith or William S. Orr or James Nelson, 1844-1860. Second and third edition Pp. xviii, 272; xv, 341; x, 270; xii, 215; xvi, 311; 298 hand-colored lithographed plates after color paintings by Mrs. Loudon and lithography by Day and Haghe (collated complete). Contemporary one-half green morocco leather by George Bayntun over pale green cloth set off my gilt lines, spine with five raised bands, each band is set off by gilt panel lines, lettered in gilt in two compartments and with gilt ornaments in the other four compartments, top page edge in gilt, original marbled endpapers, 4to (11.75 x 8.75 inches; 290 x 225 mm). This is a complete set of Loudon's principal floral works in a very attractive contemporary one-half green morocco binding, all volumes are in the second or third edition. Here are each volume's details: Ornamental Annuals (1844), second edition, with 48 hand-colored plates; Ornamental Perennials (1850), second edition, with 90 hand-colored plates; Ornamental Bulbous Plants (1850), second edition, with 58 hand-colored plates; Ornamental Greenhouse Plants (1860), third edition with 42 hand-colored plates and British Wild Flowers (1859), third edition, with 60 hand-colored plates. Jane Loudon was a self-taught artist who became a very successful botanical artist. She invented a unique style where she depicts living flowers in the form of bouquets using bright colors; this style was quickly accepted by leading gardeners of the day. This unique artistic style was utilized in the production of the fine color plates illustrating her botanical works. Loudon also developed a unique writing style; she knew the horticultural books of the day were written in a technical and scientific style, so she adopted a more breezy style that made gardening a more accessible recreational activity especially for women. The botanical books she published became very successful and went through numerous editions. See also Nissen BBI 1253, 1237, 1235, 1233, 1236 and Great Flower Books (1990), p. 115. No ownership marks and no signs of use Some light foxing to the rear (blank) side of three plates, some marginal light foxing to a few other plates never affecting the images, two plates trimmed close to the image, the text and fine color plates are very bright and clean as is the fine one-half morocco binding by George Bayntun; a very bright and clean copy in near fine condition..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 8027

Catalogue: Fine and Rare

M'William, James O.

Medical history of the expedition to the Niger during the years 1841-42, comprising an account of the fever which led to its abrupt termination.

London: John Churchill, 1843. First edition. Pp. viii, 287pp., frontispiece lithograph of nufi man, lithographed plate of chief's son, hand-colored lithograph of geological cross-section, full-page wood-engraved plan of highly decorated large canoe, folding engraved map at end of the lower reaches of the Niger River, later one-half brown morocco leather with 5 raised bands, red morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, over fine weave brown cloth, 8vo. This work documents a British expedition using three iron steam vessels to travel to Lokoja, at the confluence of the Niger River and Benue River, in what is now Nigeria. Of the 150 Europeans on the expedition, 42 died quickly. There were 130 fever cases but members who were of African descent suffered no deaths from illness. With such high mortality, the naval commanders called the expedition off, and withdrew to the island of Fernando Po. Other figures given are 55 deaths (out of 159) of Europeans, before the return to England in 1842. The author of this work was chief surgeon on the Albert, one of the three ships. From 4 October the handling of the vessel fell to him and the geologist Dr. William Stanger, the others being ill. M'William took the expedition to the open sea over ten days (from Wiki). According to Hogg 880, this expedition brought significant progress in the treatment of malaria. As Ebola is often mistaken for malaria, typhoid fever or dysentery, one could speculate that Ebola could have caused some of the deaths on the Niger Expedition. No ownership marks and few signs of use. A few tiny chips (1/4 inch wide) missing from the outer edge of pages 217-219, otherwise a near fine copy in a very attractive binding..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 5569

Catalogue: Fine and Rare

Keywords: Fine rare travel exploration medical history expedition Niger Nigeria Africa Niger River Benue River 1841 1842 fever malaria typhoid fever Ebola Fernando Po Dr. William Stranger James O. M'William

Maki, M.

A Monograph of the Snakes of Japan, in 3 text volumes + Portfolio of color plates, in portfolio case with bone-clasped ties

Tokyo: Dai-ichi Shobo, 1931. First edition. Vol. 1 (English text): Pp. 240, 158 text-figures; Vol. 2 (Japanese text): Pp. 4 + 3 + 57, 75 text-figures; Vol. 3 (Japanese text): Pp. 248, 376 text-figures; + 86 fine color plates with attached original tissue guards in place in a folding cream-colored portfolio. Recent pale-blue cloth-covered folding portfolio case with bone-clasped ties and with orange printed author/title label on the front cover, thick lg folio. This is the rare first printing of this classic work on the snakes of Japan. The three text volumes and the 86 fine color plated are contained in one large portfolio case. The color plates represent some of the best illustrations of snakes produced in the 20th century. This work was published in Japan over a two year period. In 1931 the English text, selected accounts of the Japanese text and the first 39 color plates were issued; in 1933 the full Japanese text and the remaining color plates (numbers 40-86) were issued. Maki began writing this monograph in 1927 while he was earning his D.Sc. degree at Kyoto Imperial University. This monograph served as his thesis for the degree which was awarded in 1932 (Adler, volume 1, p. 109). This pre-war Maki is seldom offered for sale. Two of the text volumes shows bumps to the outer corners, the plates all have their original tissue guards; a tight and clean copy in very good condition in a fine folding portfolio case..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 8040

Catalogue: Fine and Rare

Mather, William W.

Geological of New York, Part 1: Comprising the Geology of the First District with 32 hand-colored plates and maps (Natural History of New York series)

Albany: Carroll and Cook, 1843. First edition. Pp. xxxvii, 653; 45 full page lithographed plates and maps, (32 are hand-colored, 8 maps and geological charts are very large and folding), some text-figures and charts. Publisher’s original dark brown cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, ornately blind-stamped and with a gilt motif of an invertebrate fossil emblazoned on the front cover, and a gilt map of the world on the spine, original clay-coated yellow endpapers, 4to. This is the rare hand-colored version of the Geology of New York, Part 1. The first district of New York is the populated area surrounding New York City. The first map is a very large hand-colored folding topographical and geology map of Long and Staten Islands and the island of New York (this fine map is sometimes missing from this work). Numerous other geological maps and geological sections all show the original hand-coloring. Rare work seldom offered. Some light edge wear to the cloth at the top and bottom of the spine, the first large folding map has some old folds near the area of attachment to the gutter of the volume, there is some occasional light foxing to the frontis matter of the volume as well as some scattered marginal foxing to the plate explanations that appear before the hand-colored plates section; overall a bright, tight and clean copy in very good condition..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 9678

Catalogue: Fine and Rare

Meriam, C. Hart (editor)

Harriman Alaska Expedition, 1901-1914, complete in 13 volumes

New York + Washington DC: + Doubleday, 1901 + Smithsonian Institution, 1910-1914. Doubleday edition + Smithsonian edition Pp. (vol. I): xxxvii, 1-183; (vol. II): (vi), 185-383; (vol. III): xii, 1-231; (vol. IV): x, 1-173; (vol. V): ix, 1-424; (vol. VI): (not published); (vol. VII): (not published); (vol. VIII): ix, 1-238; (vol. IX): ix, 1-284; (vol. X): x, 1-337; (vol. XI): xii, 1-251; (vol. XII): xiv, 1-355; (vol. XIII): xii, 1-250; (vol. XIV, part 1): xii, 1-408; (vol. XIV, part 2): 1-220; with 452 plates including one tinted lithograph, 2 lithographs printed in two colors, 55 chromolithographs), and 10 chromolithographic maps (5 are folding), 750+ text-figures. Publisher's original dark-green ribbed cloth, spine lettered in gilt with gilt vignettes on the covers featuring a walrus or the Smithsonian seal), sm 4to. In 1899, wealthy railroad magnate Edward Harriman arranged for a maritime expedition to Alaska. Harriman brought with him an elite team of scientists, artists, photographers, and naturalists to explore and document the Alaskan coast. Some notable participants are William Brewer, naturalist; John Muir, naturalist; William Dall, paleontologist, Frederick Coville, botanist; William Trelease, botanist; Daniel Elliot, zoologist; Clinton Hart Merriam, zoologist; A. K. Fisher, ornithologist; Charles Keeler, ornithologist; Robert Ridgway, ornithologist; Benjamin Emerson, geologist; Grove Karl Gilbert, geologist; Edward Curtis, photographer; Frederick Dellenbaugh, artist; Louis Agassiz Fuertes, bird artist, and writers George Bird Grinnell and John Burroughs. The following volumes resulted: Vol I: Narrative, Glaciers, Natives; Vol II: History, Geography, Resources; Vol III: Glaciers and Glaciation; Vol IV: Geology and Paleontology; Vol V: Cryptogamic Botany; Vol. VI and VII on Mammals by Merriam were never published; Vol VIII: Insects, Part 1; Vol IX: Insects, Part 2; Vol X: Crustaceans; Vol XI: Nemerteans, Bryozoans; Vol XII: Enchytraeids, Tubicolous Annelids; Vol XIII: Land and Fresh Water Mollusks; Vol XIV in 2 parts: Starfishes of the North Pacific Coast. Private ownership signatures or bookplates in three volumes only, a few corners with slight bumps; a uniformly bright and clean set in near fine to fine condition..

Natural History BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 8356

Catalogue: Fine and Rare