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Dabbene, Roberto (1864-1938) Contribución / á la / ornitologia del Paraguay / notas sobre la saves colectadas / en villa rica por el señor Félix Posner
Daglish, E(ric) Fitch (1892-1966). The smaller birds
Daglish, E(ric) Fitch (1892-1966). The larger birds
Daglish, E(ric) Fitch (1892-1966). The life story of birds.
Daglish, E(ric) Fitch (1892-1966). Woodcuts of British birds with descriptions by the artist.
Daglish, E(ric) Fitch (1892-1966) The junior bird-watcher
Daglish, E(ric) Fitch (1892-1966). Birds of the British Isles.
Dance, S. Peter. The art of natural history animal illustrators and their work.Dance, S. Peter. Classic natural history prints birds.
(Dance, S. Peter), and Joseph Wolf (1820-1899). Classic Natural History Prints. Birds of Prey
Dance, S. PeterLetters on ornithology 1804-1815 between George Montagu & Robert Anstice
Daniel, J. C., and Gayatri W. Ugra, ed. Petronia.
Daniell, William (1769-1837) Two prints, Egret, Mallard
David, l'Abbé Armand (1826-1900), and E(mile) Oustalet (1844-1905). Les Oiseaux de la Chine.
Davis, William E., Jr. Dean of the Birdwatchers A biography of Ludlow Griscom
Dawson, William Leon (1875-1934) (drawings and color plates by Allan Brooks[1869-1946], photographs by Donald R. Dickey, Wright M. Pierce, Wm. L. Finley and the author). The birds of California.
Dawson, William Leon (1875-1934) "assisted by" Bowles, John Hooper (1873-1928) The birds of Washington.
De Bas, W. J. M. (Auction Catalog) The Valuable Ornithological Library of the Late W. J. M. De Bas.
De Kay, James E(llsworth) (1792-1851). Zoology of New York.
Delacour, Jean (Théodore) (1890-1985), and P(ierre) Jabouille (1875-1917). Faune des colonies Française....
Delacour, Jean (Théodore) (1890-1985), and P(ierre) Jabouille (1875-1947) Oiseaux des Iles Paracels
Delacour, Jean (Théodore) (1890-1985), and P(ierre) Jabouille (1875-1947). Les oiseaux de l'Indochine Français.
Delacour, Jean B. T. A. (1890-1985). Les Oiseaux de la Mission Zoologique....
Delacour, Jean (Théodore [1890-1985]), and J(ames Cowan) Greenway (1903-). Vilème expédition ornithologique.
Delacour, Jean (Théodore) (1890-1985). In memoriam the Chateau de Clères in Normandy.
Delacour, Jean (Théodore) (1890-1985) (illustrated by J[ohn]C[yril] Harrison [1898-]). The pheasants of the world.
Delacour, Jean (Théodore) (1890-1985) (paintings by Peter Scott [1909-1989]). The waterfowl of the world.
Delacour, Jean (Théodore) (1890-1985), and Dean Amadon (1912-2003) (paintings by Albert Earl Gilbert, George Miksch Sutton, David Reid-Henry). Curassows and related birds.
Delarue, J(ean) (fl. 1835-1850). Études D'Animaux dans le Paysage.
Delarue, J(ean) (fl. 1835-1850). Oiseaux d'Europe.
(Buturlin, S. A., 1872-1938), and G.P. Dementiev. Systema Avium Rossicorum Volume I. Acciptres-Striges, Passeres.
Démidoff, Anatole de (1812-1870) (Démidov, Anatole Nikolaevich). Voyage Dans La Russie Méridionale.
Descourtilz, J(ean) T(héodore) (d. 1855) (translated from French into Portuguese by Andrade, Carlos Drummond de; with analysis and update by Pinto, Olivério Mario de Oleveira [1896-]). Beija-Foores do Brasil.
Descourtilz, J(ean) T(héodore) (d. 1855) (Santos, Eurico, translator; Moojen, Joao, editor). Ornitologia Brasileira.
Descourtilz, J(ean) T(héodore) (d. 1855) (commentary by Moojen, João). Pageantry of tropical birds.
Des Murs, Handkolorierte Vogelbilder
Detmold, M., and E. Detmold. Pictures from Birdland.
Diamond, Jared M. Rediscovery of the yellow-fronted gardener bowerbird.
Dickey, Donald R(yder) (1887-1932), and A(driaan) J(oseph) Van Rossem, (1892-). The Birds of El Salvador.
Dixon, Charles (1858-1926). Manuscript. Bird-life in a southern county being eight years' gleaning among the birds of Devonshire
Dixon, Charles (1858-1926). Bird-life in a southern county being eight years’ gleaning among the birds of Devonshire
Dixon, Charles (1858-1926). The game birds and wild fowl of the British Islands.
Dole, Sanford B. (1844-1926) From wrapper: Birds of the Hawaiian Islands.
Donovan, E. The natural history of British nests and eggs
Dresser, H(enry) E(eeles) (1838-1913). A history of the birds of Europe.
Dresser, H(enry) E(eeles) (1838-1915). A Monograph of the Meropidae, or Family of the Bee-Eaters.
(Dresser, H[enry] E[eles] [1838-1915]). (A monograph of the Coraciidae, or family of the rollers).
Dresser, H. E. Manual of Palearctic birds
Du Bus (De Gisignies), Bernard (Amé Léonard)(1808-1874). Esquisses ornithologiques; descriptiones et figures d'oiseaux noveaux ou peu connus.
Du Pinet, Antoine. (16th century) (Linocier, Geofroy) L'Histoire des oyseaux recueillie de Gessne rus & autres bons & approuuvez autheur.
Dubois, Alphonse (Joseph Charles [1839-1922]) Remarques sur l'ornithologie de l'état indépendant du Congo suivies d'une liste des espèces recueilles jusqu'ici dans cet état.
Dubois, Alphonse (Joseph Charles [1839-1922]) Synopsis Avium Noveau manuel d'ornithologie.
Dubs, Balthasar. Birds of Southwestern Brazil.
Dümling, Dr. Hermann. Illustrirtes Thierleben.
Dunning, John S(tewart) (1906-). Portraits of tropical birds.
Dunning, John S(tewart) (1906-). (with the collaboration of Robert S.Ridgeley). South American land birds a photographic aid to identification.
duPont, John E(leuthère) (1939-) (color illustrations by George Sandström and John R. Peirce). Philippine birds.
duPont, John E(leuthère) (1939) (color illustrations by George Sandström) South Pacific birds.
D'Urban, W(illiam) S(tewart) M(itchell) (1836-1887), and Murray A(lexander) Mathew (1838-1908). The birds of Devon with an introduction and some remarks on the / migrations of Devonshire birds.
Dwight, Jonathan (1858-1929). The Gulls (Laridae) of the World; Their Plumages, Moults, Variations, Relationships and Distribution.
Ornitologia Argentina / catálago / sistemático y descriptivo de la saves / de la / Republica Argentina / de las regions limitrofes inmediatas del Brasil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile / y de los / archipiélagos é islas al sur y sureste del continente Americano / hasta el circulo polar antártico / / / / Tomo Primero (all published) 25.5 x 17.7 cm. In Spanish. (π)81-29830-354[36] 2(-362)265 ll. Pp. (2, blank)[I-V]VI-XIV[1]2-513(1). Later red library boars with reticulate black pattern. Spine with gilt lettering, library markings. Gray endpapers. Bookplate of Field Museum of Natural History. Anales del Museo Nacional de Buenos Aires. Tomo XVIII (Ser. 3a, t. XI), p. 1 á 513. Buenos Aires, Imprenta Juan A. Alsina, 1910. In ink on upper endpaper “Traylor from ALR” (ornithologists Austin Loomer Rand[1905-1982], Melvin Traylor[1915-2008]).
I, Half-title; II, blank; III, title; IV, blank; V, contents of first volume; IX, list of text figures, 1-87;XIII, errata; 1, introduction; 5, early ornithological studies; parte I, morphological characters useful in the classification of birds; 169, bibliography (almost 300 references); 169, parte II, geographical distribution of species in Argentina; 407, addenda et corrigenda; 441, list of principal localities; 447, bibliography for part II (almost 300 references); 461, systematic index (Latin); 467, alphabetic Latin list of orders, families, genera, species and subspecies; 493, alphabetical list of anatomical terms; 503, alphabetical list of cited authors.
Contains uncolored text figures 1-87 (anatomical) and folding, hand-colored bio-geographical map of Argentina.
This very uncommon and undeservedly little known work is quite remarkable. Not the least of its expositions is a chart extending from page 184 through page 405 giving the distributions in Argentina, with references, of 469 genera containing 847 species and subspecies.
OCLC locates but 12 copies, most uncollated, and it is not listed by Ayer, Wood, nor Zimmer.
Contribución / á la / ornitologia del Paraguay / notas sobre la saves colectadas / en villa rica por el señor Félix Posner 26.8 x 17.9 cm. In Spanish. π[18]419-248252 ($1 signed)55 ll. Pp. (2)[283]284-390. Binder’s ochre printed cloth. Ex Everglades National Park Reference Library. Anales del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Buenos Aires Tomo XXIII, p.283-390. Buenos Aires, Imprenta “Alsina”, 1912.
π, recto, offprint title page; verso, blank; 383, introducción; 285, systematic text, species 1-86; 377, bibliografía (approximately 60 entries); 381, (generic) índice.
This is an offprint with its own title page but with only the journal pagination.
Dabbene was an Italian ornithologist who emigrated to Argentina and made significant contributions to the ornithology of Argentina and Paraguay. In the present work, he analyzes a collection from central Paraguay made by Felix Posner. For each of the 86 species, he provides synonymy as well as sex, measurements, fresh colors and date obtained for all individuals. He also makes personal observations concerning many of the species. He claims that three of them are new for Paraguay. This is an important early contribution to the ornithology of Paraguay.
The work is uncommon. OCLC locates only four examples.
Daglish, Eric Fitch (1892-1966).
The life story / of birds 23.6 x 16.2 cm. Pp. [I-iv]v-viii[ix[(1)1-236. Publisher's black cloth with silver vertical rules and lettering on upper covers, silver lettering to spine. Top edge silvered, others uncut. Contained in publisher's plain red board slipcase. New York, William Morrow and Company, 1930.
i, half-title with vignette of kiwi; ii, frontispiece; iii, title; iv, copyright; v, contents; vii, illustrations; ix, half-title; 1, birds in general; 25, courtship; 55, nests; 83, eggs; 97, incubation; 119, bird babies; 158, food; 183, enemies; 209, plumage and moult; 222, migration. Contains: initial laid in limitation leaf signed by author, this copy #9/375; 20 unnumbered, uncolored wood-engraved plates (image size ca. 14 x 9 to 9 x 7 cm) all save frontispiece printed on one side only with both sides of leaf included in pagination; engraved or scratch board uncolored half-title vignette, eight tail pieces; and one text line illustration.
This work is a kind of painless textbook of ornithology in which Daglish tells us all the things we should know about birds but don't. He often selects exotic birds as examples and illustrates some of them including the greater bird of paradise, African ground hornbill and adjutant stork. His "white line" technique of wood engraving is nowhere better exemplified than by the plate of a flamingo on its nest which displays a black shape with a few white lines that is, somehow, extremely effective.
Daglish and Charles Tunnicliffe were the two best known wood engravers of birds of the mid 20th century and were entirely different in their style and technique. Tunnicliffe is well appreciated as one of the outstanding ornithological artists of the century. Daglish , an extraordinarily original artist and engraver, deserves more recognition than he has received.
This limited edition was printed on slightly larger paper than the regular edition. Although nowhere stated in this copy with an American imprint, the work was also published simultaneously in London by J. M. Dent.
Listed by Cornell, Harvard, Trinity, Yale, only the Trinity copy being of the limited edition.
Daglish, Eric Fitch (1892-1966)
The larger birds 20.2 x 18.2 cm. [A]8B-C8[$1 signed]; 24 ll. Pp. [1-4]5-47[48] Black and white printed decorated boards and identical dust jacket. The striking design containing a frame of animals and birds enclosing printed title of book and series. Original price of 2s. 6d. on inner flap of upper jacket. London & Toronto, J. M. Dent and Sons Limited, (1928). First printing. Volume three of the six-volume series “Animals in black and white”. Printed at Temple Press, Letchworth, Great Britain.
1, Half-title and titles of the six volumes in the series; 2, frontispiece of pelican; 3, title with penguin vignette; 4, dedication; “first published in 1928”; 5, introduction; 7, contents with swan vignette; 8, species accounts; 48, printer designation. Contains 20 unnumbered full-paged white-line wood engravings included in pagination, plus reduced versions of two of these (penguin, swan) as vignettes, and a duplicate of one (pelican) as frontispiece.
Volumes III (this one) and IV (“The smaller birds”) are the ornithological sections of Daglish’s six-volume series “Animals in black and white”, intended for children. The present volume describes and illustrates: ostrich; cassowary; kiwi; penguin; pelican; flaming; coot; swan; cormorant; puffin; crow; magpie; macaw; woodpecker; hornbill; toucan; eared pheasant; curassow; laughing jackass; condor.
The brief introduction to ornithology and the lively informative accounts that include life histories are very well done. However, it is the striking white-line engravings that render unique this work, and indeed all of Daglish’s output.
There were several later printing of this work by Dent and by William Morrow of New York. OCLC mentions five “editions” and locates around 75 copies.
Daglish, Eric Fitch (1892-1966)
The smaller birds 20.2 x 18.2 cm. [IV-A]8 IV-B-IV-C8[$1 signed]; 24 ll. Pp. [1-4]5-47[48] Black and white printed decorated boards and identical dust jacket. The striking design containing a frame of animals and birds enclosing printed title of book and series. Original price of 2s. 6d. on inner flap of upper jacket. London & Toronto, J. M. Dent and Sons Limited, (1928). First printing. Volume four of the six-volume series “Animals in black and white”. Printed at Temple Press, Letchworth, Great Britain.
1, Half-title and titles of the six volumes in the series; 2, frontispiece of kingfisher; 3, title with pratincole vignette; 4, “first published in 1928”; 5, dedication; 6, blank; 7, contents with wagtail vignette; 8, species accounts; 48, printer designation. Contains 20 unnumbered full-paged white-line wood engravings included in pagination, plus reduced versions of two of these (pratincole, wagtail) as vignettes, and a duplicate of one (kingfisher) as frontispiece.
Volumes III (“The larger birds) and IV (this one)are the ornithological sections of Daglish’s six-volume series “Animals in black and white”, intended for children. The present volume describes and illustrates: robin; tomtit; blackbird; kingfisher; bee-eater; goldcrest; motmot; jacana; huia bird; stonechat; pied flycatcher; pied wagtail; swallow; dipper; drongo; tailor bird; pratincole; goldfinch; hawfinch; humming bird.
There is no introduction to this volume, the general ornithological introduction having been given in volume III of the series. The white-line engravings are excellent.
There were several later printing of this work by Dent and by William Morrow of New York. OCLC mentions five “editions” and locates around 70 copies.
Daglish, E(ric) Fitch (1892-1966).
Woodcuts / of British birds / with descriptions / by the artist. 27.6 x 22.0 cm. [A]8B-K8L4(-L4);[$1 signed]]; 83 ll. Pp. [1-10]11-165(1). Original publisher's cream buckram-backed faux blue leather boards with white paper labeling pieces on upper cover and spine. London, Ernest Benn Ltd., 1925.
1, Half-title; 2, blank; 3, title; 4, limitation statement: 500 (unnumbered, unsigned) copies; 5, contents; 6, blank; 7, species accounts (20) and plates; 165, printer designation: The Mayflower Press, Plymouth. William Brendon & Son Ltd. Contains 20 uncolored, unnumbered "white-line" wood-engraved plates (actual image sizes, ca. 13 x 10 to16 x 13 cm) printed on one side only. Each plate preceded by a titular leaf and followed by descriptive essay.
Eric Fitch Daglish specialized in a type of wood engraving in which the image is largely black and the oberver's eye is drawn to white. The visual effect is dramatic and striking and Daglish is the only artist of whom I know, who adapted the technique to ornithological illustration. He knew his birds very well so the pictures combined accuracy and great originality and are amongst the most interesting printed depictions of birds. He was the author of elementary books on many aspects of natural history including mammals, reptiles, fishes, and plants but dogs and birds were his major interest and the subject of his more substantial publications.
In the present work, he describes and illustrates 20 species including: jackdaw; jay; bullfinch; reed bunting; pied wagtail; red-backed shrike; ring ouzel; nightingale; stonechat; dipper; wren; spotted flycatcher; lesser-spotted woodpecker; long-eared owl; merlin; heron; ringed plover; puffin; great-crested grebe; black grouse. The essays are extremely well written and convey much information without seeming to do so. They include: distribution; description; nesting; diet; vocalization; points of field identification; and migration.
This work was published only in this single small edition.
Wood, p. 308. Also listed by Trinity. Not listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Yale.
Daglish, E.(ric) Fitch (1892-1966)
The junior / bird-watcher 18.0 x 12.5 cm. [A]8B-O8[P]4 (-P4)[$1, signed]115 ll. Pp. [i-vii]viii-xvi[1-3]4-214. Original publisher’s blue cloth with black vignette of Pied Flycatcher on upper cover, black lettering on spine. Original color pictorial dust jacket with fine colored figure of Eurasian Kingfisher on upper cover, blue printing on upper cover and spine. London, George Routledge, 1936.
i, Half-title; ii, blank; iii, blank; iv, frontispiece of stone-chats; v, title; vi, printed by R. & H. Clark , Limited, Edinburgh; vi, contents; ix, list of illustrations; xi, foreword; 1, part I, spring; 63, part II, summer; 115, part III, autumn; 161, part IV, winter; 211, index. Contains 56 unnumbered, uncolored text illustrations including scraperboards and at least 10 that are (almost) full-page white-line wood-engravings.
OCLC locates ten copies.
Daglish, Eric Fitch (1892-1966)
Birds / of / the British Isles 26.7 x 19.5 cm. π[A-B]8C-P8[$1, signed]; 121 ll. Pp. [i-iv]v-xviii[1-2]3-222[223](1). Publisher's blue beveled cloth with gilt swallow on upper cover, gilt lettering and ornithological vignette on spine. TEG. Pictorial dust jacket with list of works authored by Daglish and published by Dent. London, J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd,, 1948.
i, Half-title; ii, "This edition is limited to 1500 copies for sale"; iii, title, partly printed in red; iv, copyright; printer designation: The Temple Press Letchworth, Herts.; year of publication; v, contents; vi, blank; vii, list of illustrations; ix, introduction; 1, half-title; 3, bird anatomy; 32, feathers, flight and form; 58, sexual life; 76, nidification, parental care; 116, migration; 134, birds in a man-made world; 158, birds and the law; 178, list of birds in the British Isles and their status complete through 1 January 1937 and comprising close to 500 forms; 223, printer's imprint. Contains 48 unnumbered wood-engraved plates (25 colored), printed on one side only and not included in pagination. Image sizes ca. 10-13 to 16-19 cm. Also contains title vignette and line text figures 1-18.
The dust jacket informs us that this work was in preparation during 1938-9 and " as a piece of book-production enjoys pre-war advantages in lay-out, paper and buckram binding." It is certainly a well produced book and possibly the last trade volume to contain hand-colored plates. This is really a magnum opus for Daglish as an ornithological artist and the combination of hand-coloring and white-line engraving is unique amongst ornithological books. The text combines elements of his "Life story of birds"(1930) with a complete list of British birds and therefore might be regarded as a very beautiful text book of ornithology, especially British ornithology. The last plate depicts pterodactyls and comes as a surprise!
Daglish combined ornithological knowledge and originality as an artist to a degree that few others have ever displayed.
Listed by AMNH, Cornell, Trinity, Yale. Not listed by Harvard.
The art of / natural history / animal illustrators and their work 33.8 x 24.5 cm. [1-5]6-224. Original publisher's brown cloth with gilt lettering to spine. Ochre endpapers. Pictorial dust jacket. Woodstock New York, The Overlook Press (1978).
1, Half-title with uncolored illustration; 2, uncolored frontispiece; 3, title; 4, copyright 1978 by Cameron & Tayleur (Books) Limited; edited, designed and photographed by Ian Cameron; printed in Holland, bound in Belgium; ISBN 0-87951-077-3; 5, contents; 6, preface; dedication to Gavin Bridson (bibliographer); 8, the prehistory of animal art; 19, the early illustrated book; 29, into the light; 43, a comedy of animals; 87, the nineteenth century background; 111, the lithographic revolution; 148, mirrors to ourselves; 172, life! life! life!; 181, through the microscope; 191, going popular; 210, techniques; 213, references (30); 214, biographical notes; 222, index of authors, artists and titles. Contains approximately 65 unnumbered color half-tone illustrations (one double-page, 19 full-page) and 251 unnumbered, uncolored half-tone illustrations (four full-page).
This book is a beautifully illustrated anthology of the iconography of natural history. The pictures have been well selected to be representative of various time periods and printing techniques. The color printing, done by an unidentified firm in Holland, is unusually good for a popular trade work of this kind. There is a very useful section devoted to thumbnail biographies of various artists and authors who contributed significantly to natural history books. The author's special interest was conchological illustration. He subsequently edited a series entitled "Classic natural history prints"
This work was reprinted in 1990.
Listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity and Yale.
Classic natural history prints / birds 35.6 x 25.3 cm. [1-4]5-128. Original publisher's blue buckram, gilt lettering to spine. Blue endpapers. Pictorial dust jacket. London, Collins & Brown, 1990.
1, Half-title; 2, acknowledgments; copyright Studio Editions Ltd., 1990; ISBN 1 85585 065 6; 3, title page with colored figure of scarlet macaw; 4, contents; list of plates; 5, introduction (brief history of ornithological iconography); 8, plates and text; 128, general index including common and scientific bird names. Contains 60 plates printed in color half-tone on recto with facing relevant text printed on verso of antecedent plate.
This volume is part of a series on natural history prints by Dance whose main interest is conchological books. It has scant bibliographic or iconographic information but has an interesting selection of plates that have been poorly printed by an unidentified Italian firm. The artists (and/or authors and works) that are represented include: Albin; Catesby; Edwards; Manetti; Marinet; Sepp (Nozeman); Levaillant; Alexander Wilson; Selby; Huet (Planches Coloriées); Latham; Rider (Bonaparte); James Wilson; Audubon; Müller (a lithograph from Ehrenberg's Symbolae Physicae that is mistakenly called an engraving); Lear; Waterhouse-Hawkins; Thomas Brown; Bolton; Oudart; (Gould); Daverne(Souancé); Peale (Wilkes Expedition); Schlegel; Wolf; Keulemans; Smit (Exotic Ornithology); Bevalet (Mulsant); Neale; Frohawk; Hart; Thorburn; and Lodge.
This book also appeared with other imprints including Crown Publishers, New York.
Listed by Cornell. Not listed by AMNH, Harvard, Trinity and Yale.
(Dance, S. Peter), and Joseph Wolf (1820-1899).
Classic Natural History Prints. Birds of Prey 35.6 x 25.3 cm. Pp.[1-4]5128. Original blue buckram with title in vertical gilt on spine. Decorative printed blue dust jacket. London, Studio Editions, 1991.
1, Half-title; 2, acknowledgements, publication data; title and colored portrait of Wolf; 4, contents and list of plates; 5, introduction; 8, text. Contains colored portrait of Wolf on title page, two unnumbered text figures and 60 unnumbered colored plates with facing text, all included in pagination.
This work contains a brief biography of Wolf and 60 colored plates depicting diurnal birds of prey (52) and owls (8). These plates are reproduced from hand-colored lithographs in works by Gould (Birds of Great Britain, Birds of Asia), Siebold’s Fauna Japonica, the Traité de Fauconnerie, Zoological Sketches, Dresser’s Birds of Europe, the Ibis, and Proceedings and Transactions of the Zoological Society. There is a brief text associated with each plate. Dance is the editor of the series and the author of the text in this volume.
Letters on ornithology / 1804-1815 / between / George Montagu & Robert Anstice 21.0 x 14.8 cm. Pp. [1-6]7-251(1)(8, four blank leaves). Manuscript facsimile endpapers. Fine red cloth with gilt lettering to spine. Color half-tone pictorial dust jacket. Published on behalf of S. Peter Dance by GC Book Publishers Ltd, Wigtown, Scotland, 2003. Apparently signed by Dance. Errata and addenda slip laid in loosely between pages 2 and 3.
1, Title; 2, copyright, S. Peter Dance 2003; ISBN 1 872350 68 2; 3, identification of letters for front and rear endpapers; 4, colored half-tone plate of Cirl Bunting after Eliza Dorville; 5, references to Montagu and Anstice; 6, contents; 7, preface; 10, sources of illustrations; 11, list of illustrations; 13, note on the text; 15, acknowledgments; 17, biographies of George Montagu and Robert Anstice;36, letters; 204, appendix I, description of the album; 207, II, incorrect or variant spellings; 209, III, bird names; 215, IV, animal names other than birds; 217, bibliography (53 references); 223, endnotes; index, 242. Contains colored frontispiece of Cirl Bunting and 45 unnumbered text illustrations, two of which are colored portraits of Montagu and Anstice, the remainder uncolored. Most of the illustrations are from the fourth edition of Yarrell’s A history of British birds (1871-1885) and Montagu’s Supplement to the ornithological dictionary (1813). An uncolored map is bound in after p. 250.
These letters (1804-1815) between Montagu(1753-1815) and Anstice (1757-1815) relate almost entirely to natural history, mainly British ornithology of the early 19th century. They were copied into an album by Arnstice’s granddaughter, Caroline Prideaux (1813-ca.1896). Dance bought this album and was intrigued by the early, original ornithological material. Montagu is much the more widely known of the correspondents having published quite extensively and having written the highly regarded Ornithological Dictionary….and its Supplement. He did not have an extensive formal education and lost most of the privilege of his birthright by leaving his wife and living with Eliza Dorville, a gifted ornithological artist.
OCLC locates only five copies of this privately printed book.
Daniel, J. C., and Gayatri W. Ugra, ed.
Petronia / Fifty years of post-independence ornithology in India / A centenary dedication to Dr. Sálim Ali / 1896-1996 24.0 x 18.0 cm. Pp. [i-iv]v-vii(1)[1]2-342[343-348]. Publisher's pictorial boards with white lettering on upper cover and spine. Sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India. Bombay and Delhi, Bombay Natural History Society and Oxford University Press, (2003).
i, Half-title; ii, blank; iii, title; iv, copyright 2003; typeset by V. Gopi Naidu, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai; printed by Bro. Leo at St. Francis Industrial Training Institute, Mumbai; ISBN 019 566653 4; v, preface by B. G. Deshmukh, President, Bombay Natural History Society; vi, contents; vii, list of coloured plates; viii, blank; 1-342, text; 343-346, otherwise blank pages denoted "notes"; 347, about the Bombay Natural History Society; 348, the Society's publications. Contains: color half-tone plates 1-8, so listed only in list of coloured plates, printed on one side only and all save frontispiece portrait of Ali included in pagination; five leaves containing 14 uncolored half-tone photographic images numbered relative to their own chapters and included in pagination; some uncolored line drawings and maps throughout text and numbered with respect to their own chapters.
Sálim Ali (1896-1987) was the by far the best known Indian ornithologist and member of the Bombay Natural History Society from the appearance of the first edition of his Book of Indian Birds in 1941 until his death. A commemorative seminar on the centenary of his birth was arranged in 1996 and the 25 invited papers were published in this volume. Some were reprints from longstanding friends and colleagues, others were scientific ornithological presentations with field observations and still others were biographies. Of particular interest to me were the biography of Ali; an essay on the contributions of Allan Hume who was not only a prolific ornithologist but also the founder of the Indian National Congress; a paper by Dillon Ripley on zoogeography of Indian birds; and a reprint of the report describing the rediscovery of Jerdon's Courser.
Daniell, William (1769-1837)
Two hand-colored, aquatint prints
“Mallard / Designed, Engraved & Published by Willm. Daniell, No. 9 Cleveland Street, Fitzroy Square, London, June 1, 1809”
Sheet size, 35.7 x 27.5 cm.; engraved margins, 25,2 x 18.2; engraved decorative frame, 22.0 x 15.0; image, 17.8 x 10.9.
“Egret / Designed and Figured by Willm. Daniell and Published by Messrs. Caddell & Davies, London, May 1, 1812
Sheet size, 34.2 x 25.5 cm.; engraved margins, 25,2 x 18.2; engraved decorative frame, 22.0 x 15.0; image, 17.8 x 10.9.
William Daniell was part of a highly artistic family that included his uncle Thomas Daniell (1749-1840) and his brother, Samuel Daniell (1775-1811). William and Thomas collaborated on the 144 magnificent large folio hand-colored aquatints in the six-volume “Oriental scenery”(1795-1808) for which they are best known. William”s more than 300 colored aquatints for Richard Ayton’s “A picturesque voyage round Great Britain”(1814-1825) have also always been highly prized. Samuel produced two beautiful folio volumes with colored aquatints of scenes from South Africa and Ceylon respectively. While the scenery depicted by the brothers contained birds and animals, they were not regarded as wildlife artists.
William executed the 60 uncolored aquatint plates for William Wood’s “Zoography” (1807) and these included 10 of birds, however, the Mallard and Egret were not amongst them.
The Daniell family not only created their images, they did their own aquatint engraving. Very few pictures of birds have been printed in aquatint, by far the best examples being those of the Audubon folio edition.
David, l'Abbé Armand (1826-1900), and E(mile) Oustalet (1844-1905)
Les / Oiseaux de la Chine Two volumes, one marked "TEXTE" on the spine only, the other marked "ATLAS" on the spine and on the title page. 24.4 x 17.0 cm. Original publisher's blue cloth with blocked black rules and panels and corner designs. Central gilt Aethopyga sunbird on upper cover, central blocked publisher's logo on lower. Gilt lettering on upper cover and spine. Blue-gray endpapers. TEG. Paris, G. Masson, 1877.
Texte: π2a41-368[$1 signed]; 294 ll (including terminal blank, here clearly an integral part of the original issue). Pp. (4)[i]ii-vii(1)[1]2-573(3). π1r, Half-title; π1v, printer designation: Sceaux, imp. M. et P.-E. Charaire; π2r, title; π2v, blank; i, preface; 1, systematic accounts of species numbered 1-772; 535, appendix containing approximately 35 additional species, most recorded by Przewalski and recently published in Rowley's Ornithological Miscellany; 559, errata and addenda; 561, alphabetical index of Latin names; 573, printer designation.
Atlas: π4; 2 ll. Pp. [i-v]vi[vii](1). i, Half-title; ii, printer designation; iii, title; iv, blank; v-vii, list of plates numbered 1-124; vii, errata. Contains plates 1-124, hand-colored lithographs, drawn and lithographed by Arnoul, printed by imp. Becquet, Paris and all mounted on guards.
The missionary Abby Armand David was one of the great exploring field ornithologists of the 19th century and spent most of his adult life in China. His name and that of Robert Swinhoe (1836-1877) are those most associated with the foundation of Chinese ornithology (at least in the west) and the present treatise is the single most important contribution to the subject, the first comprehensive treatment of the avifauna of China. David collected many natural history items, mainly birds, and kept exceptionally careful field notes which he published in the Nouvelles Archives du Museum d'Histoire Naturelle. Oustelet was his complement, an academic ornithologist at the Paris museum. According to Mengel (#646), "Some new names appear" among the 807 species which are covered. For each, the authors provide synonymy, measurements, a description and distribution. There is a variable section often containing first-hand material observed by David, other times describing relevant observations published by others. The illustrations are adequate and must have been very useful when the book appeared and almost nothing was known about China's birds.
Wood, p. 311; Zimmer, p.159. Also listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity, Yale.
Dean of the / Birdwatchers / A biography of Ludlow Griscom 22.7 x 15.2 cm. Pp. [i-vi]vii-xvi[1-2]3-234; 125 ll. Original publisher's brown buckram-backed sienna boards. Gilt lettering on spine. Pictorial dust jacket. Washington and London, Smithsonian Institution Press, (1994). First printing.
i, Half-title; ii, blank; iii, title; iv, copyright and publication data; v, dedication; vi, blank; vii, contents; ix, foreword by Roger Tory Peterson; xi, preface; xv, acknowledgments; 1, part one / the early years; 24, part two / ornithology; 97, part three / in the field; 143, part four / conservation; 175, part five / the final years; 199, notes; 211, Griscom's bibliography; 227, index. Contains eight unnumbered leaves not included in pagination and printed on both sides with 27 unnumbered, uncolored photographs. Also contains two text illustrations of drawings by Fuertes and by Griscom.
Ludlow Griscom invented the sport of birding and was the ornithological icon of my youth. Moreover, he was Peterson's inspiration as the mentor of the Bronx County Ornithological Club and it was on his recommendation that Francis Allen, the chief executive at Houghton & Mifflin and an amateur ornithologist himself, decided to take a flyer on Peterson's Field Guide. The publication was sufficiently "iffy" that Peterson was denied royalties on the first 1000 copies. Of course, the first printing of 2000 sold out immediately and the rest is history.
Griscom was reputed to be the finest field birder of his era. He also wrote many papers and books, some, such as his Birds of the New York City Region (1923) and The Distribution of Bird-Life in Guatemala (1932), extremely useful and influential. He served in policy-making positions in numerous ornithological and scientific organizations, was elected president of the Nuttall Ornithological Club and the American Ornithologists' Union.
His entire career was spent working at the American Museum of Natural History and the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology but he never rose in the hierarchies of these organizations, presumably because he lacked a Ph.D., having earned only a Master's degree from Cornell, and because he incurred the animosity of powerful figures such as Frank Chapman. Fortunately for him, he was independently wealthy.
This book is listed in the online catalogs of the AMNH, Harvard, Trinity and Yale.
Dawson, William Leon (1875-1934) (drawings and color plates by Allan Brooks[1869-1946], photographs by Donald R. Dickey, Wright M. Pierce, Wm. L. Finley and the author)
The birds of California / a complete scientific and / popular account of the 580 species and subspecies of birds / found in the state Four volumes. 31.5 x 24.0 cm. Green fabricoid faux leather with embossed lettering pieces, some decorated with flying gull vignette, on upper cover and spine. Decorative photographic endpapers. TEG, others uncut. Format De Luxe / Sunset Edition. San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, South Moulton Company, 1923.
Volume One Pp. (8)iii-xvii(1)1-522. First preliminary leaf: recto, half-title; verso, blank; second: recto, limitation statement, 350 copies, this one neither numbered nor signed; verso, blank; third: recto, title partly printed in red; verso, copyright 1921 and 1923; credits: press-work by Wolfer Printing Co., Los Angeles; four-color half-tone plates by Star Engraving Co., Los Angeles; photogravures by Suffolk Engraving and Electrotyping Co., Cambridge; duotones and half-tones by Star Engraving Co.; binding by Leather Products and Finishing Co., Los Angeles; Fourth, recto, dedication to Ellen Browning Phipps; verso, blank; iii, preface; xi, contents of volume I; xv, list of full-page plates; xvii, explanatory (size comparisons); 1-522, systematic accounts, Corvus corax-Progne subis, species 1-102. Contains: 39 unnumbered, colored plates (one of eggs), printed on recto only with facing tissue sheet of identifying letter-press printed in green, the tissue and plate leaves not included in pagination; 15 unnumbered, uncolored, half-tone photographic plates ("duotones") containing explanatory letter-press, printed on recto only and not included in pagination; eight uncolored, unnumbered photogravure plates printed on recto only with facing tissue sheet of explanatory letter-press printed in green, the tissue and plates not included in pagination; 16 unnumbered, uncolored, text illustrations by Brooks (five full-page; approximately 231 unnumbered, uncolored, text half-tone photographs (three full-page)
Volume Two Pp. [i-vi]vii-xii(2)523-1034. i, Half-title; ii, blank; iii, copy number designation, here blank; iv, blank; v, title; vi, copyright 1923; no credits; vii, contents; xi, list of full-page plates; unpaginated leaf: recto, volume half-title; verso, blank; 523-1034, species accounts, Petrochelidon albifrons-Asyndesmus lewisi, species 103-201. Contains: 34 colored plates; 34 duotone plates; five photogravure plates including frontispiece; 23 text illustrations by Brooks (five full-page); 259 text photographs (one full-page).
Volume Three Pp. [i-vi]vii-xiv(2)1035-1548. i, Half-title; ii, blank; iii, copy number designation, here blank; iv, blank; v, title; vi, copyright 1923; vii, contents; xii, blank; xiii, list of full-page plates; unpaginated leaf: recto, volume half-title; verso, blank; 1035-1548, species accounts, Centurus uropygialis-Coturnicops novaboracensis, species 202-307. Contains: 15 colored plates; 38 duotone plates; nine photogravure plates including frontispiece; 14 text illustrations by Brooks (one full-page); 321 text photographic illustrations (six full-page).
Volume Four Pp. [i-vi]vii-xiv(2)1549-2121(1). i, Half-title; ii, blank; iii, copy number designation, here blank; iv, blank; v, title; vi, copyright 1923; vii, contents; xii, blank; xiii, list of full-page plates; unpaginated leaf: recto, volume half-title; verso, blank; 1549-2062, species accounts, Creciscus jamaicensis-Podilymbus podiceps, species308-424; 2063, photograph; 2064, blank; 2065, section title: analytical keys; 2066, blank; 2067, analytical keys; 2101, section title: index; 2102, blank; 2103, index of English and Latin names. Contains: 22 colored plates including frontispiece, one by L. A. Fuertes and colored photograph of nest and eggs by author; 33 duotone plates; eight photogravure plates; seven text drawings by Brooks (one full-page); 254 text photographs (three full-page).
This is probably the most sumptuous state ornithology produced and published in the United States (the two great works on Hawaiian birds by Rothschild and by Wilson and Evans were published in England). By my reckoning, the illustrations include; 110 colored plates of which 108 are by Allan Brooks (a few originally published in The Birds of Washington[1909]) and amongst the best he ever did; 120 "duotone" plates, uncolored photographs printed on a single side only and not included in pagination; 30 fine photogravures; 60 text illustrations by Brooks including 12 full-page; and about 1065 text photographic illustrations. The title page claims "more than 1100" and this is plausible since some of the photographic text illustrations are composites of several photographs. The title page claims 44 text drawings by Brooks which is fewer than I counted.
The text for each species is very comprehensive in terms of life history, much of the information deriving from the author's own experience. However, the physical descriptions, which are often entirely omitted from regional bird books, are rather scanty. It is interesting that measurements are given in both metric and English systems. The section on distribution is appropriately detailed. There is list of "authorities" and occasionally some footnote references for each species but no general bibliography.
The publishing history is complicated (see Mengel, No. 655, Chambers, W. L., Condor, 41: 231-243, 1939)). Altogether, about 5000 copies were produced in a variety of editions differing in size, number of illustrations, and binding. This "Sunset Edition", according to Mengel, is a variant of the "Format Deluxe" (large format) and is composed of "earlier" sheets. Two parts, containing the first 128 pages of volume one, were published in 1921 which is why the first volume has both 1921 and 1923 copyright dates. One of the large paper formats was issued in 1940.
All major ornithological libraries have some edition(s) of this work.
Dawson, William Leon (1875-1934) "assisted by" Bowles, John Hooper (1873-1928)
The birds of Washington / A complete scientific and / popular account of the 372 species of birds / found in the state Two volumes. 31.4 x 24.5 cm. No signatures. Original publisher's full green morocco with colored morocco inlay of California Gull inspired by photographic print opposite page 732 on upper cover. Spine with five gilt raised bands, gilt rule paneling of all compartments, gilt figure of gull in first, third fifth and sixth compartments, gilt printing in second, fourth and sixth and on upper cover. Olive endpapers decorated with photographic figures of swimming gulls. TEG, others uncut. Many pages unopened. Seattle, Occidental Publishing Co., 1909. The complete work contains 16 colored plates by Allan Brooks, 14 mounted photographic plates, six photogravure plates, 16 uncolored half-tone plates of which 9 by Brooks, approximately 32 text illustrations by Brooks, and approximately 302 other text photographic illustrations.
Volume I. Pp. (6)[i-ii]iii-xvii(1)[1]2-458; 241 ll. Three preliminary leaves: PL1r, half-title; PL1v, blank; PL2r, limitation statement signed by Dawson; this copy #9/85 of Patron's Edition De Luxe of a total of 1250 copies in all editions; PL2v, blank; PL3r, title partly printed in red; PL3v, copyright 1909; credits: half-tones by Bucher Engraving Co.; printing by New Franklin Printing Company; binding by the Ruggles-Gale Company;i, dedicatation; ii, blank; iii, subscribers (76 accounting for all 85 copies, this on subscribed by Chas. V. Elliot); iv, list of transferred subscribers; v, preface; xiii, contents of volume I; xv, list of (24) unnumbered full-page illustrations in volume I; xvi, blank; xvii, explanation of terms; 1-458, systematic accounts, Corvidae-Alcidinidae. Contains the following illustrations, all unnumbered: eight full-page paintings after Allan Brooks, printed on one side only, not included in pagination, and with facing tissue sheet containing letter-press printed in red; three uncolored photogravures printed on one side only, not included in pagination, and with facing tissue sheet containing letter-press printed in red; six leaves of gray or black special paper containing mounted uncolored photographs, not included in pagination and with facing tissue sheet containing letter-press printed in red; six full-page uncolored half-tone plates after Brooks included in pagination with printing on both sides of leaf; one similar half-tone full-page photographic plate; 20 uncolored text illustrations by Brooks; and 135 other uncolored photographic text illustrations.
Volume II. (6)i-iii[iv-v](1)[459]460-997(1); 276 ll. Three preliminary leaves: PL1r, half-title; PL1v, blank; PL2r, limitation statement, unsigned; 9/85; PL2v, blank; PL3r, title; PL3v, copyright; credits; i, contents; iii, list of (29) full-page illustrations; iv, blank; v, half-title to volume II; vi, blank; 459-935, systematic accounts, Strigidae-Alcidae; 937, analytical keys to orders, families, species; 961, British Colombia supplement with annotations by Allan Brooks; 979, Washington hypothetical list (47 species); 985, index. Contains eight full-page paintings after Allan Brooks; three photogravures; eight leaves of mounted photographs; nine full-page uncolored half-tone plates, three after Brooks, six of photographs; 12 text illustrations by Brooks; and 167 other text illustrations; and one full-page text diagram of the topography of a bird.
Quite apart from being the first major state treatment of the birds of the Pacific Northwest, this work is highly significant in being the first beautiful state bird book. Until this time, most books and articles on state birds were illustrated only with uncolored pictures, often wood cuts depicting anatomical parts. The one exception was the first state bird book, James Dekay's bird volume (1843), of a series on the natural history of New York. Dawson experimented with colored plates in his antecedent (1902) Birds of Ohio but the color half-tone photographs he chose were not produced specifically for the book and had already been published elsewhere. It is clear that Dawson intended the present volumes to be not only scientifically comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date, but also sumptuous and aesthetically appealing. The photogravures and mounted photographs required craftsmanship of a high order and the selection of Allan Brooks to do the colored plates as well as many text figures was inspired. Concerning this, Dawson writes on page x of the first volume ",,,we have to congratulate ourselves upon the discovery, virtually in our midst, of such a promising bird-artist as Mr. Allan Brooks" .Indeed! At this early pre-Fuertes stage in his career, Brooks was much influenced by late 19th century artists such as Keulemans with their emphasis on the birds rather than on a full tableau. The result was that his birds have never been better portrayed than they are here. Dawson used 10 of the 16 colored plates for his subsequent, equally ornate state bird book, the mammoth Birds of California (1923).
Another novel aspect of this title is the publication of editions with different limitations and varying contents of illustrative material, a feature that Dawson would also use again in Birds of California. According to the limitation leaf, there were a total of 1250 sets of this work. Mengel (#654) cites a detailed bibliographic reference to Dawson's works (Chambers, W. L. Condor, 52:86, 1950) in stating that 1064 copies were subscribed. He writes that there were no less than six varieties of "de luxe" editions. The Bradley Martin copy was one of 22 in the "V & V De Luxe Edition" whereas the Ellis and Trinity examples are among 200 numbered sets of the "Large paper edition." If Mengel's description is correct, these copies contained six instead of 14 mounted photographs. The Ayer copy is described by Zimmer as "imperial 8vo" and one of 350 comprising the "original edition" and the McGill "8vo" set is part of the "authors' edition." These smaller format versions apparently contain 12 instead of 16 colored plates and lack the photogravures and mounted photographs. The Yale copy is number 65 of the same edition as this one.
Bradley Martin #1503; Mengel, #654; Trinity, p. 71; Wood, p. 313; Yale, p. 73; Zimmer, p. 161.
De Bas, W. J. M. (Auction Catalog)
The Valuable / Ornithological / Library / of the Late / W. J. M. De Bas (from upper wrapper) 23.5 x 15.5 cm. Pp. (4)1-54[55-56]. Original decorated, printed brown wrappers. New York, The Anderson Galleries, 1924.
[i], Title, time and place; [ii], conditions of sale; [iii], what two eminent ornithologists (van Oort and Blaauw) think of this collection; 1, lot descriptions.
This is a catalog for an auction at Anderson Galleries on 25 November, 1924. The same house also auctioned the Braislin and Gallatin collections in the early 1920s.
De Bas was apparently Dutch and his son initially tried to sell his collection to the Leiden Museum whose director, van Oort, was forced to decline for lack of funds but who lauded the collection. The collection contains most major ornithological works up to approximately 1920 including an elephant folio and a nearly complete set of the works of Gould (missing the cancelled Australian parts). It is perhaps the only collection to have had both the Dutch and German versions of Seligmann and it had a rather large selection of original paintings including some by Albin, Hahn, Japanese and Chinese artists, a Persian artist, and quite a large number by Charles Hamilton Smith. I didn't know Smith did birds andI wonder why Jardine did not employ him for some of the ornithological volumes of the Naturalist's Library. The present collection also contained many paintings by an artist named Westley Horton who is mentioned briefly in Christine Jackson's Dictionary of Bird Painters as having flourished ca 1870.
Bradley Martin, #1390 ("Bibliography")
De Kay, James E.(llsworth)(1792-1851)
Zoology / of / New-York, / or the / New-York fauna; / comprising detailed descriptions of all the animals hitherto observed within the / state of New-York, with brief notices of those occasionally found near / its borders and accompanied by appropriate illustrations / / Part II. Birds. 28.9 x 23.0 cm. π61-454(46 omitted, printer's error)47-512χ($1, 2 signed]; 197 ll. Pp. [i-ix]x-xii[1]2-380(2, title leaf for plate section). Original maroon cloth sides with blind ornamental frame, central gilt wren; rebacked with green cloth retaining the original cloth gilt title section. Albany, printed by Carroll and Cook, Printers to the Assembly, 1844.
i-ii, either an original initial blank, or the extra engraved title page; both Mengel and Zimmer include this title page in the preliminary pagination and make no mention of the initial blank; iii, title; iv, blank; v, copyright; vi, blank; vii, , letter of transmission; viii blank; ix, list of books referred to; xi, synopsis of families and genera of New York birds; 1, systematic accounts, Cathartes aura-Cygnus americanus, comprising more than 300 species; 354, addenda; 355, index of popular names; 363, Latin index; 370, list of plates; X, title leaf for plate section. Contains: extra engraved title page with vignette designed by J. L. Norton and engraved by Draper, Toppan & Co.; hand-colored lithographic plates 1-141 displaying 308 species drawn by J. W. Hill, lithographed and printed by Endicott of New York.
This is the first "state bird book" and as such is an important part of the history of American ornithology. However, in addition to New York birds, it describes briefly "extra-limital" species so it could be regarded as a handbook of eastern birds. It is the second ornithological work produced in America with a large series of hand-colored lithographs, the first having been the Audubon octavo. The text defines the higher levels of classification and then elaborates for each species as far as possible: synonymy; characteristics; description; length; distribution; dates of arrival and departure; eggs; and food.
Supposedly, "only" 300 copies were printed with the plates colored and the majority of copies are said to have them uncolored. I have seen numerous colored copies but have yet to find one that is uncolored. The illustrations are poor, either due to the lithographer, or because the artist was unfamiliar with living birds.
The Natural History of New-York series comprised 20 volumes of which five, all written by De Kay, concerned zoology.
Mengel, 660; Wood, p. 314; Zimmer, p. 64-165. Also listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity, Yale.
Delacour, J.(ean Theodore)(1890-1985), Jabouille, P.(ierre)(1875-1947)
Oiseaux des Iles Paracels 31.0 x 23.0 cm. No signatures. Pp. [1-3]4-24 (2, recto, list of publications of the Service Océanographique des Pêches de l’Indochine; verso, blank). Late 20th century full red morocco, spine with four raised double bands, gilt lettering in second and fourth compartments. Patterned silk endpapers and doublures. TEG Saigon, Travaux du Service Océanographique des Pêches de l’Indochine. 30 Mémoire, 1930. Contained in an unusual matching red half-morocco folding book box with patterned silk sides.
1, Title; 2, blank; 3, introduction; 9, list of species (8) and subspecies; Contains plates I-XIII, each with tissue guard and preceding leaf, the recto of which contains the plate number (which also appears on verso and on plate) and the verso of which contains descriptive letter-press for the facing plate. Neither plates nor ancillary leaves are included in pagination. Plates I-III are printed in very fine color gravure by Jn Bale Sons & Danielsson Ltd. I and II are signed by Roland Green, III by Delacour, himself. Plates IV-XIII are fine uncolored photographs printed in collotype and designated A. Krempf, phot. Phototypie Catala.
The Paracel Islands are in the South China Sea far off the coast of Vietnam. At present they are claimed by the Peoples’ Republic of China. Formerly they “belonged to the French and the Vietnamese. Throughout much of their history they have been uninhabited. They have served as a fishing location, a source of phosphorous exploited by the Japanese, and perhaps will become a site for oil and gas .
From June 29th through July 6th Delacour and Jabouille accompanied A. Krempf, the Director of the Oceanographic Service, on a trip to the Paracel Islands. They found eight species of birds, four terns, two boobies, Lesser Frigate bird, and a White-eye. Most of these apparently nested on the islands, but the authors thought that the White-eye was probably a migrant from China.
This is a very attractive publication. OCLC locates 16 copies.
Also bound into this volume is the 20 Mémoire: “La forme des récifs coralliens et le régime des vents alternants” by Armand Krempf. Pp. [1-3]4-33(1) containing uncolored photoplates I-VI printed in collotype and text figures I-IV.
Delacour, Jean (Théodore)(1890-1985), and Dean Amadon (1912-2003) (paintings by Albert Earl Gilbert, George Miksch Sutton, David Reid-Henry)
Curassows / and / related / birds 30.5 x 23.0 cm. [i-v]vi-xv(1)[1]2-247[248]. Original publisher's blue cloth with gilt curassow head on upper cover, gilt lettering to spine. Blue pictorial endpapers. Pictorial dust jacket with original price of $20 on upper cover. New York, The American Museum of Natural History, (1973).
1, Half-title; 2, part "Curassows" of title; iii, remainder, "and related birds", of title; iv, dedication to Paul Schwartz; "all rights reserved 1973"; produced in association with Chanticleer Press Inc, New York; printed at Amilcare Pizzi, S. p. A., Milan; ISBN 0-913424-02-1; v, contents; viii, list of colored plates; ix, list of text figures; x, list of maps; xi, half-title; xii, blank; xiii, sponsor's preface by John H. Phipps; xiv, artist's preface by Gilbert; 1, part I section title; 2, introduction; 10, characters and habits; 20, plumage and molt; 30, wattles and other display characters; 41, variation in windpipe; 46, reproduction; 73, aviculture and conservation; 77, a glimpse of the family in the field; 85, part II section title; 87, systematic accounts of genera, species and subspecies, Otalis vetula-Crax blumenbachi, comprising 44 species; 239, part III section title; 240, references (specifically where, when, and by whom genera, species and subspecies were first identified); 242, glossary of common (including local) and scientific names with etymology; 243, general bibliography of cited works (around 400 entries); 248, credit: design by Rosamond Dana and Albert Earl Gilbert. Contains; plates 1-30 by Gilbert, (25, two full-page), Sutton (4) and Reid Henry (1), so enumerated in list and on facing page of running text, printed on one side only but with both sides of leaf included in pagination; uncolored text figures 1-47, including line drawings, half-tone drawings and photographs; 20 uncolored, unnumbered vignettes including three full page for section title pages; distribution maps 1-15.
This remarkable monograph combines exceptional scholarship and illustrative material. It was written at the same time as Charles Vaurie, Amadon's colleague in the ornithology department at the American Museum of Natural History, was writing his own monograph on the Cracidae. According to the introduction (p. 2), Vaurie was invited to be a co-author on the present publication but "For a variety of reasons Vaurie preferred to proceed with his phase of the study alone…." In the event, this book provides a comprehensive examination of the family including unusual historical material concerning the elaboration and identification of genera, species and subspecies. In so much as was possible, the authors provide a thorough life history for every species including extensive field notes as well as comments concerning behavior in captivity. The beautiful illustrations by Albert Earl Gilbert established his reputation as an outstanding ornithological artist.
I've been told that 3000 copies of the book were printed.
The work is listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity and Yale.
Delacour, Jean (Théodore)(1890-1985)(illustrated by J[ohn]C[yril] Harrison [1898-])
The / pheasants / of the world 27.9 x 21.8 cm. [1]82-228[$1 signed]; 176 ll. Pp. [1-4]5-351(1). Original publisher's gray-brown cloth with gilt red labeling areas on upper cover and spine. Top edge dyed red. Pictorial dust jacket. London, Country Life Limited; Salt Lake City, The Allen Publishing Company, 1964
1, Half-title; 2, blank; 3, title, partly printed in red; 4, printer designation: The Haycock Press, London; illustrations printed by Balding & Mansell Ltd, London and Wisbech; bound by A. W. Bain & Co. Ltd, London; third impression, 1964; 5, foreword by William Beebe; 17, introduction; 23, general account; 45, systematic accounts including generic descriptions, specific keys, and accounts of about 48 species comprising 150 forms; 335, addenda; 339, literature since 1922(more than 90 entries); 345, index of common and scientific names. Contains plates one-thirty two 916 colored), so designated in list and on facing page of identifying letter-press, printed in half-tone on one side only and not included in pagination. The letter-press page contains running text on obverse and is included in pagination. Also contains text figures 1-21, mostly distribution maps.
Pheasants were a major interest of Delacour since childhood and he tells us that the possibility of seeing them in the wild, and perhaps discovering new ones, was a major impetus in his selection of Indo-China as a relatively unknown area for ornithological exploration. In addition to being an ornithologist, he was a keen aviculturist and kept pheasants as well as waterfowl at his well known Clères aviary where, we learn from him in the introduction, he had "the greatest collections ever assembled".
The book may be considered an update of the four-volume work by William Beebe (1918-1922). There are extensive discussions of the various genera followed by specific keys and then accounts of the individual species and subspecies. For each form, as much as possible of the following information is provided: description of all stages; measurements; description of eggs; distribution; history of discovery; general habits; behavior in captivity.
The illustrations are of two types: most contain several portraits of different species; a few contain one or two species in a naturalistic setting. The latter are more interesting.
This is the third impression of the first (1951) edition. A second edition was published in 1977. AMNH, Cornell, Harvard and Yale all list the first (1951) printing. Trinity lists a 1965 printing.
In memoriam the Chateau de Clères in Normandy 23.6 x 15.3 cm. [1-2]3-20. Original gray thin card wrappers with duplicate title page printed in vinous within double-ruled vinous frame on upper cover. Signed and inscribed by Delacour on upper cover. New York, privately printed, 1941.
1, title enclosed in double black-ruled frame; 2, blank; 3, text. Contains 22 unnumbered, uncolored half-tone photographs, 20 exclusively occupying 10 pages, with other photographs or running text on obverse, the other two sharing their page space with text, all included in pagination.
The Chateau Clères apparently dated mainly to the 13th century. Delacour and his mother moved into it in 1920 and developed it into what was probably the world's finest aviary. The estate also contained rare animals but the collection of 3000 birds comprising about 500 species was its crown gem. These included examples of virtually every known species of waterfowl and pheasant. There was also a magnificent collection of zoological, and particularly ornithological books. Many rare birds were successfully induced to breed in captivity there for the first time. Much of the house and library was destroyed by a fire in 1939. René Ronsil apparently found and saved several, partly singed books which I had the pleasure of examining in the collection of Robert Etchécopar in 1983. Shortly after the fire, the area was bombed. Delacour emigrated to the United States and the estate was dismembered during the Nazi occupation.
In this little volume, Delacour movingly describes the Chateau with its aviaries and gardens some of which are illustrated by photographs. It is a precious, but vanished world.
Listed by AMNH, Harvard. Not listed by Cornell, Trinity, Yale.
Delacour, J(ean Théodore)(1890-1985), and P(ierre) Jabouille (1875-1917).
Faune des colonies Françaises / les / Gallinacés et Pigeons / de l'Annam 25.3 x 16.6 cm. π226-318[$1 signed]; 50 ll. Pp. (4)[369]370-461[462-463](1). Later blue half buckram, marbled boards by Starr Bookworks. Spine with gilt-lettered brown paper labeling piece. Original printed brown wrappers retained, the upper recto a title page duplicate, upper verso containing information about the Faune des colonies Françaises publication (the present work being the fifth fascicule of Tome I (all published). Paris, Société D'Éditions Géographiques, Maritimes et Coloniales, 1927.
π1r, Half-title; π1v, blank; π2r, title with vignette of boat and palm trees; π2v, blank; 373, première partie, galliancés; 425, deuxième partie, pigeons; 463, printer designation: Maurice Darantiere, Dijon, 30 August, 1927. Contains uncolored text figures 1-6 (two full-page, included in pagination), artist unclear; plates I-VIII (seven color half-tone) five after Delacour, two undesignated (probably after Delacour), one, uncolored, after (H. Grönvold).
This offprint concerns two subjects that were to be long-term major interests for Delacour, Indochina and pheasants. The article is part 5 of the first volume of a major work, Faune des Colonies Françaises, which encompassed six volumes published 1927-37. The parts could be bought separately (as here) and the original cost of this one was 40 francs.
The article provides keys for 22 species of gallinaceous birds and 15 of pigeons along with accounts of these species. The accounts contain scientific, French and Ammanite names; original citation and synonymy in literature relating to the area; description of both sexes and all stages of development with measurements; general and local distribution; and a section of observations that includes field notes and experiences with captive birds and often supplies considerable detailed information.
Wood, p. 314. Listed alone or as complete series by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity, Yale
Delacour, J.(ean Théodore [1890-1985])), Greenway, J.(ames Cowan)(1903-)
Vilème expédition ornithologique / en Inodchine Française / Liste des oiseaux recueillis dans la province du Haut-Mékong/ et le royaume de Luang-Prabang (from upper wrapper) 24.9 x 16.4 cm. [1]82-58[$1 signed]; 40 ll. Pp. [1]2-77[78](2, blank). Later half green buckram and marbled boards by Starr Bookworks. Spine with gilt-lettered black paper labeling piece. Uncut. Original printed brown wrappers retained. Paris, L'Oiseaux et la Revue Française D'Ornithologie, Nos 1-2-1940 (from upper wrapper.)
1, introduction; 3, travel narrative; 21, avian population; 25, annotated systematic list of 244 forms; 60, notes on some birds from Tranninh, Chapa and Langbian; 78, printer designation: Chateauroux- Imprimerie Centrale (Louis Labourer et Cie) Contains the following plates, all unnumbered, printed on one side only, and not included in pagination: three uncolored maps; seven uncolored half-tone photoplates, each containing two images; one uncolored half-tone bird plate after H. Grönvold; three color gravure bird plates printed by John Bale, Sons & Curnow, Ltd., after Roland Green (2) and Grönvold (1).
This publication describes the results of an expedition made by Delacour and Greenway from November 1938-March 1939 to little-known parts of French Indochina. The authors consider the avian population to be relatively impoverished but they did find 10 new forms and 20 others new for the Vietnamese list. Eight of the new forms were described in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Union, LIX, 1939, pp. 130-134, 151, the other two being noted here for the first time. They describe the status of the 244 species and subspecies that they found in the area, In addition, they provide notes on interesting specimens they received from A. David-Beaulieu from bird-rich Tranninh as well as from others in Chapa and Langbian.
This offprint actually contains three consecutive articles (pp. 1, 25, 60) which, like others published by Delacour, between 1932 and 1951, were intended to supplement his Les Oiseaux de l'Indochine Française (1931). On page 1, Delacour mentions the fire at Clères that destroyed the finest waterfowl aviary in the world (for the second time, no less!) as well as one of the finest ornithological libraries. Such intrusions by World War II into the ornithological literature are rare and are always indirect without actual mention of the war, presumably to avoid offending fellow ornithologists on the other side.
Ronsil, #759. This journal is present in most major libraries and ornithological collections.
Delacour, Jean B. T. A. (1890-1985)
Les Oiseaux / de la Mission Zoologique / Franco-Anglo-Américaine / a Madagascar Offprint. 24.5 x 16.5 cm. 1-68 [$1 signed]; 48 ll. Pp. 1-96. Original printed gray wrappers, uncut, unopened. Paris, Siège Social, “Extrait de L’Oiseau et la Revue Française d’Ornithologie Volume II-No I-1932”.
1, introduction; 6, systematic list; 86, bibliography. Contains full-page, uncolored text map and three plates, hors de texte, depicting seven species in color offset lithography by John Bale & Danielsson after paintings by Delapchier.
This work lists 232 species and subspecies found by this expedition, amongst which 13 were new including two new species and a new genus. The most significant ornithological finding was the discovery of Rand’s Warbler, Randia pseudozosterops. Also listed, are six endemics and 27 migrant or accidental species that the expedition did not find but that had been previously reliably known.
In a subsequent (1936) larger work published in the Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, Rand elaborated ecologically on the birds found by this expedition to which he was a major field contributor.
Ronsil, 756.
Delacour, J(ean Théodore) (1890-1985), and P(ierre) Jabouille (1875-1947).
Les oiseaux / d / l'Indochine Française Four volumes. 28.4 x 19.0 cm. Later fine quarter maroon morocco and marbled boards by Starr Bookworks. Flat spine with five gilt-ruled raised bands, gilt lettering in second, fourth compartments, gilt floral design in others. Uncut. Original brown wrappes retained, the upper rectos containing printed title, authors, publisher, volume number, signature of C. E. Hellmayr, noted ornithologist. Some leaves impressed "ALPHA MOUSSE NAVARRE." Paris, Exposition Coloniale Internationale, 1931.
Tome I. [1I-2I]83I-24I8[$1 signed]; 192 ll. Pp. [I-IX]X-LVI[1]2-279(1)I2-XLVI2. I-II, blank; III, half-title; IV, blank; V, title; VI, topography of a bird, diagram; VII, topography, text; VIII, blank; IX, avant-propos; XI, introduction; XIII, nomenclature, classification; XVIII, blank; XIX, historical; XXIV, political map; XXV, topographical map; XXVI, blank; XXVII, geography; XXXIX, synonymy; XLI, bibliography; 1-279(1), systematic accounts, species 1-180, Podiceps ruficollis-Excalfactoria chinensis; 281, addenda et corrigenda; I2, systematic index of Latin names; X2 alphabetical index of Latin and French names; XLVI2, printer designation: Imp. du Cantal Républicain, Aurillac. Contains plates I-XIV (some out of order) in fine color gravure after H. Grönvold by John Bale, Sons, Danielsson Ltd. London.
Tome II. [1II]82II-24II825II8(+2, 25II9-10); 202 ll. Pp. [1-8]9-339[340-341](1)[I]II-LXI[LXII]. 1-2, blank; 3, half-title; 4, blank; 5, title; 6, blank; 7-339(1), systematic accounts, 181-396, Crocopus phoenicopterus-Upupa epops; 341, addenda et corrigenda; I, systematic index; XI, alphabetical index; LXII, printer designation. Contains colored plates XV-XXVII, some out of order.
Tome III. [1III-2III]83III-25III826III8(+4, 26III9-12); 212 ll. Pp. [1-8]9-345[346-348][I]II-LXIII[LXIV-LXXV](1). 1-2, blank; 3, half-title; 4, blank; 5, title; 6, blank; 7-345, systematic accounts, 397-717, Eurylaimus javanica-Pteruthius aenobarbus indochinesis; 347, addenda et corrigenda; I, systematic index; XIII, alphabetical index; LXXV, printer designation. Contains plates XXVIII-L, some out of order, one, XXXIX, uncolored.
Tome IV. [1IV]82IV-22IV823IV6; 182 ll. Pp. [1-7]8-296[I]II-LXVI[LXVII-LXVIII]. 1-2, blank; 3, half-title; 4, blank; 5, title; 6, blank; 7-293, systematic accounts, 718-954, Aethorhynchus lafresnayei innotatus-Garrulus leucotis leucotis; 295, addenda et corrigenda; I, systematic index; XI, alphabetical index; LVII, table of plates for all volumes; LXI, appendix (recent reports); LXV, table of contents for all volumes; LXVIII, printer designation. Contains plates LI-LXVII of which LIII is uncolored. Plate LIX is not signed but is dated in the image "Hue 2.12.1925". This plate was almost certainly drawn by Delacour.
Delacour was amongst the best known ornithologists of the 20th century, largely because of the fine aviary and collection of water fowl that he maintained at Clères which was lost during World War II. He is well known and highly regarded for other books on waterfowl, Pheasants, and on Cracidae, but the present work is really his magnum opus, resulting from seven years of work, much of it in the field. Viet Nam was virtually terra incognita for ornithology save for Boutan's Décades Zoologiques, an ornithologically unsophisticated production, when Delacour began his explorations. The result was this treatise describing 954 species and subspecies, some new save that the authors reported them previously in journal publications. In these volumes, the authors provide for each species: an original citation with synonymy and references; a description with measurements; habits; general and local distribution and status; and the number and locations of collected specimens. Included in these essays is considerable first-hand field information on behavior, nesting, eggs, etc.
Jabouille was the author of a number of papers on the birds of French Indochina, usually with Delacour. He also wrote about other subjects concerned with Viet Nam.
This work, together with the nearly contemporary one by Robinson and Chasen on the Birds of the Malay Peninsula were the two great early 20th century treatises on the birds of southeast Asia.
This work is listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity and Yale.
Delacour, Jean (Théodore) (1890-1985) (paintings by Peter Scott [1909-1989])
The / waterfowl / of the world Four volumes 24.8 x 19.0 cm. Original publisher's blue cloth with gilt formation of geese on upper cover, gilt lettering and goose design on spine. Top edge dyed red. London, Country Life Limited, 1954-1964.
Volume one / the magpie goose / whistling ducks, swans and geese / sheldgeese and shelducks / 1954 [A]8B-S8[1 signed. 25 letter alphabet lacking I only was used in printing and assembling these volumes]; 144 ll. Pp. (2, blank)[1-4]5-284(2, blank). 1, Half-title; 2 blank; 3, title partly printed in red; 4, process engraving by Fine Art Engravers Ltd, London and Esher; printed by Balding and Mansell Ltd, London and Wisbech; 5, foreword; 6, acknowledgements; 7, contents; 9, list of illustrations and maps; 12 blank; 13, systematic list; 15, introduction; 19, systematic accounts, Anseranas semipalmatus-Tachyeres patachonicus, comprising 49 species; 279, indexes (Latin and English). Contains frontispiece and plates I-XV, so designated in list and on facing letter-press, printed in color half-tone on one side only, the leaf not included in pagination. The facing letter-press contains running text on obverse and is included in pagination. Also contains distribution maps 1-33.
Volume two / the dabbling ducks / 1959 [A]8B-N8O6P8; 118 ll. Pp. (2, blank)[1-4]5-232(2, blank). 1, Half-title; 2, blank; 3, title; 4, "Published in 1956"; "Third impression 1961" (sic); process engraving by the Sun Engraving Company, London and Watsford (and for subsequent volumes); 5, acknowledgements; 6 blank; 7, contents; 8, blank; 9, illustrations; 12, blank; 13, systematic list; 15, introduction; 17, sytematic accounts, Anas sparsa-Stictonetta naevosa, comprising 43 species; 227, indexes. Contains colored frontispiece, colored plates I-XXIII and distribution maps 1-29.
Volume three / eiders / pochards / perching ducks / scoters, golden-eyes and merganisers (sic) / stiff-tailed ducks / 1959. [A]8B-R8; 136 ll. Pp. (2, blank)[1-4]5-270. 1, Half-title; 2, blank; 3, title; 4, " Published in 1959"; "second impression 1960"; 5, acknowledgements; 6, blank; 7, contents; 9, illustrations; 13, systematic list; 15, introduction; 17, accounts, Polysticta stelleri-Heteronetta atricapilla, comprising 56 species; 265, indexes. Contains colored frontispiece, colored plates I-XIX, and distribution maps 1-46.
Volume four / general habits-the reproductive cycle / ecology-distribution and species relationships / fowling-conservation and management / aviculture-domestic waterfowl-the anatomy of waterfowl / fossil Anseriforemes-corrections and aditions 1964 A6B-E8F10G-W8[U, V included]; 182 ll. Pp. [1-7]8-364. 1-2, blank; 3, Half-title; 4, blank; 5, title; 6, "published in 1964"; 7, contents; 8, blank; 9, illustrations; 12, blank; 13, introduction; 15, general habits by Milton W. Weller; 35, reproductive cycle by Weller; 80, ecology by Weller; distribution and species relationships by Weller; 121, fowling by Weller; 123, conservation and management by Weller; 145, aviculture by Delacour; 154, domestic waterfowl by Delacour; 167 anatomy by Philip S. Humphrey and George A. Clarke, Jr.; 233, fossil Anseriformes by Hildegarde Howard; 327, corrections and additions; 355, indexes. Contains: colored frontispiece and colored plates I-V; 37 uncolored text figures including maps that are enumerated separately in the various chapters; uncolored half-tone plates I-X(fossil Anseriformes chapter), so numbered on plates, printed on both sides of five leaves, not included in pagination.
The complete work describes about 148 species with many more subspecies and contains 66 colored plates. An edition with a few corrections and additions was published in 1973.
In the foreword and introduction to the first volume, we learn that this book expands on a publication by Delacour and Ernst Mayr, "The family Anatidae" (Wilson Bull. 1945, pp. 3-55) in which the taxonomy of the family was significantly updated and revised from previous works including Phillips's Natural History of the Ducks (1922-1926) and Peters's Check-list of the birds of the world(1931). We also learn that Delacour's collection of waterfowl at Clères " was the most complete ever assembled until its destruction in the war in 1940" and that Scott possessed a substantial collection as well. Delacour's ideas on taxonomy thus stemmed, in part at least, from his observations of his own living birds. His collection was also known for its large number of pheasants and of Cracids, and he wrote monographs on these families as well.
This work provides coverage of the entire family. The accounts for each species include: original nomenclature citation; references to Phillips and Peters; physical characteristics in all plumages and measurements; distribution; general habits; behavior in captivity; and subspecies described in the same way. Although most of the specialized chapters in the fourth volume have there own lists of references, there is no general bibliography.
The numbered plates provide portraits of several species whereas the frontispieces are more artistic tableaux. Peter Scott, a leading conservationist and wildlife artist, later knighted for his efforts in these fields, was the son of the Antarctic explorer, Robert Falcon Scott.
Delarue, J(ean) (fl. 1835-1850)
Études / D'Animaux / dans le Paysage Oblong. 26. 0 x 34.0 cm. No signatures, no pagination. Contains lithographed title page with decoratively framed title and ten unnumbered hand-colored lithographed plates with tintstone backgrounds, drawn, and probably lithographed by Delarue, printed by Lith. Laurant et Cie. Original publisher's green pebbled cloth sides with blind paneling and elaborate gilt frame surrounding centrally placed gilt title. Later brown morocco backing with gilt lettering. Endpapers renewed. Paris, Arnauld de Vresse, (1850 fide Ronsil).
This extremely rare book contains 10 very fine colored plates of spectacular birds in outdoor aviary-like settings. Despite the title, the book depicts only birds including: Partridge; Pheasant; Mallard; Guinea Fowl; Mute Swan; White Stork; Woodcock; Pigeon and Dove; Crowned Crane; and Lyrebird.
Delarue was a highly gifted ornithological artist about whom little seems to be known. He was responsible for 30 superb plates in Alcide d'Orbigny's Galerie Ornithologique (1836-1839), for many insect plates in Charles d'Orbigny's Dictionaire Universel… (1849), and also, according to Ronsil (p.69) in his L'Art Français..(1958) for the four plates in John Kirk Townsend's aborted and mythically rare Ornithology of the United States of North America (1839), sometimes mistakenly attributed to "Delorme". In describing this and the similarly formatted work by Delarue and de Vresse, Oiseaux d'Europe , Ronsil remarks (p. 69) in L'Art Français.. : "Soigneusement coloriés au pinceau à lépoque, la plupart de ces lithographies constituent de delicieuses petite estampes d'une extrême délicatesse.." Mrs. Jackson, in her Dictionary of Bird Artists of the World (1999) tells us (p. 220) that Jean Delarue was the name of both a father and son who specialized in various aspects of natural history depiction.
Under "Delarue, J.", the Smithsonian describes a work of similar format to this one and also published by de Vresse, entitled:"Musée Ornithologique: Collection d'Oiseaux de toutes les Parties du Monde"
Ronsil, L'Art Français..p. 69. Unlisted by AMNH, Anker, Berkeley, BM(NH), Cornell, LOC, NYPL, Nissen, Oxford, Smithsonian, Trinity, Wood, Yale, Zimmer. OCLC does not locate any copies
Delarue, J(ean) (fl. 1835-1850)
Oiseaux / d'Europe Oblong. 25.7 x 33.6 cm. No signatures and no pagination. Contains title leaf and nine leaves of text printed on recto only with elaborately decorative brown, color-printed frame surrounding printed material. Original publisher's red pebbled cloth with blind panel and corner designs, extremely decorative gilt frame around central gilt title on upper cover. Later morocco backing with gilt lettering. Endpapers renewed. Paris, Arnauld de Vresse, no date (ca. 1850). Contains hand-colored lithographed plates No.1-No.9 drawn, and probably lithographed by Delarue, printed by Imp. Plista, r. d. Lions St. Paul 8. The colored plates are framed by the same design that frames the printed matter. There is a printer's designation on the last page of text: "Imprimé chez Bonaventure et Ducessois."
This extremely rare book contains nine exquisite hand-colored lithographed plates, each depicting two species that occur in France. Each such picture is followed by a leaf of descriptive text which describes, in lay terms, the habits, habitats, nest and eggs of the depicted species.
Delarue was a highly gifted ornithological artist about whom little seems to be known. He was responsible for 30 superb plates in Alcide d'Orbigny's Galerie Ornithologique (1836-1839), for many insect plates in Charles d'Orbigny's Dictionaire Universel… (1849), and also, according to Ronsil (p.69) in his L'Art Français..(1958) for the four plates in John Kirk Townsend's aborted and mythically rare Ornithology of the United States of North America (1839), sometimes mistakenly attributed to "Delorme". In describing this and the similarly formatted work by Delarue and de Vresse, Études d'Animaux dans le Paysage (1850), Ronsil remarks (p. 69) in L'Art Français.. : "Soigneusement coloriés au pinceau à lépoque, la plupart de ces lithographies constituent de delicieuses petite estampes d'une extrême délicatesse.." Mrs. Jackson, in her Dictionary of Bird Artists of the World (1999) tells us (p. 220) that Jean Delarue was the name of both a father and son who specialized in various aspects of natural history depiction.
Under "Delarue, J.", the Smithsonian describes a work of similar format to this one and also published by de Vresse, entitled:"Musée Ornithologique: Collection d'Oiseaux de toutes les Parties du Monde"
Ronsil, Bibliographie, #780; Ronsil, L'Art Français..p. 69. Unlisted by AMNH, Anker, Berkeley, BM(NH), Cornell, LOC, NYPL, Nissen, Oxford, Smithsonian, Trinity, Wood, Yale, Zimmer. OCLC locates two copies.
(Buturlin, S. A., 1872-1938), G.P. Dementiev.
Systema Avium Rossicorum Volume I. Acciptres-Striges, Passeres 25 x 16 cm. Pp. Title leaf, [i-v]vi[1]2-288. Original printed wrappers. Uncut, unopened. Paris, L’Oiseau et la Revue Française d’Ornithologie, 1935.
i, Dates of publication of original unseparated articles; iii, introduction by Jean Delacour; v, preface; 1-277, annotated list of 709 species and subspecies; 278-285, addenda and corrigenda; 287-288, table of contents. Contains (unpaginated) a map as well as five colored and three uncolored plates of birds after Dementiev and other Soviet artists, the best of whom is W. Watagin. Volume II. 25.3 x 16.8 cm. Par G. P. Dementiev et N. A. Gladkov Pp. [1-5]6-7[8-9]10[11]12-244[245]246-247(1). Original printed wrappers. Paris, L’Oiseau et la Revue Française d’Ornithologie, Vol. 30, No spécial, 1960. 1, journal title; 3, article title; 5, preface by R. D. Etchécopar; 9, introduction; 11-244, text; 245-246, table of contents; 247, list of illustrations. Contains 19 uncolored text illustrations by N. N. Kondakov.
The first volume is a specially titled and paginated separate made up from nine articles that had been published between July 1, 1933 and October 1, 1935 in L’Oiseau... It is often (as below) cataloged under Buturlin because he had agreed to do the subsequent volume on non-passerine species and he was considerably senior and better known than Dementiev. However, Buturlin had nothing to do with this first volume and died in 1938 before he could commence work on the second, which was eventually written by Dementiev and N. A. Gladkov.
The first volume is basically a list of 709 predatory and Passerine species and subspecies with their distribution in the USSR. Reference is also made to their original description and, where relevant, there is an extensive discussion of geographical variations and subspecies. The second volume covers an additional 23 orders containing 516 species and subspecies.
The two volumes are hard to find as a set because of the 25 year hiatus between their publication.
Trinity, p. 51; Yale, p. 50.
Démidoff, Anatole de (1812-1870) (Démidov, Anatole Nikolaevich)
Voyage / Dans La / Russie Méridionale / et La Crimée, / par La Hongrie, La Valachie et La Moldavie. / Exécuté en 1837 sous la Direction de / M. Anatole de Démidoff, / par / Mm. de Sainson, Le Play, Huot, Léveille, Rosseau, de Nordmann et de Ponceau (Atlas d'Histoire Naturelle) 44.0 x 32.7 cm. 2 Prelminary leaves comprising half-title; printer's designation: Paris Imprimerie de Schneider et Langrand); title; blank). Contemporary French red half-morocco with marbled boards. Spine with five raised ridges, gilt lettering in second and third compartments, gilt design in other four compartments. Marbled endpapers. TEG. Paris, Ernest Bourdin, 1842.
Contains 95 engraved plates including four maps as follows; Aves, 1-3; Mammalia, 1-4; Amphibia (and Reptilia), 1-13; Pisces, 1-32; écailles des poissons et des reptiles, I-III; crustacea, 1; arachnoida, 1; mollusca, 1-12; polypi, 1-3; cryptogamia, 1-7; (géologie), I-IV; terrain carbonifèrous, I, map folding, II-IX; three additional folding maps including entire voyage area, Crimea geological and Crimea, route of voyage. Of the plates, 81 are partially or completely colored as are three of the four maps. One map, two of the plates depicting polypi and all eight dealing with terrain carbonifèrous are uncolored. The latter have been washed. The plates are mounted on guards.
The entire work consisted of four text volumes and two atlases. Volume I presented an account of the voyage and was accompanied by an atlas of 100 plates. Volumes II-IV were accompanied by the present atlas. Volume IIÎ contained the zoology section ("Oservations sur la faune Pontique") including birds (pp. 75-334) and was written by Alexander de (von) Nordman (1803-1866).
This work is one of the great French voyage treatises. Tremendous resources were expended in the production of the beautiful plates. The colored plates in the present atlas were engraved, often with stipple, printed in color, and finished by hand. They were printed by Imprimerie Bougeard. The coloring was done by Gerard. The three ornithological plates depicting Rosy Pastor, Yellow Wagtail and Sociable Plover, are after Traviès with the engraving by Pardinel (2) and Fournier (1). Ronsil, in his L'Art Français.. (p. 53) remarks of them "Plus beaux encore sont les trois dessins de E. Traviès…Finement gravés en coleurs .. terminés à la main". Especially spectacular are the fish, many drawn by Oudart and printed with liquid gold and silver. Amongst the other particularly well known artists are Prêtre who did the mollusks and Chazal, who was responsible for the cryptograms. The various engravers were of comparable high quality.
Parts of this work are present in most important natural history libraries, however, few possess both atlases. The libraries of the BM(NH), Harvard and Oxford contain the present atlas. Cornell, the Library of Congress, Trinity and Yale contain one of the two atlases, probably the one accompanying the account rather than this one. Wood lists the complete work as 1840-1842 but gives no detailed information about it.
Descourtilz, (Jean) Th.(éodore)(d,1855) (translated from French into Portuguese by Andrade, Carlos Drummond de; with analysis and update by Pinto, Olivério Mario de Oleveira [1896-])
Beija-Flores / do Brasil 41.3 x 31.6 cm. Pp. [1-4]5-50, 12-352(1)(2, limitation statement, this copy #551/1000; credits); 44 ll. Original publisher's green morocco backed gray cloth with floral pattern. Spine with five gilt raised bands, gilt lettering in second and third compartments. Rio de Janeiro, Livraria São Jose, 1960.
1, title printed in red; 2, blank; 3, explanatory preface in Portuguese by Celso Ferreira de Cunha, director of National Library; 5, original manuscript introduction; 15, original manuscript explanation of plates; 12, translation of original manuscript from French into Portuguese by Andrade; 292, critical analysis by Pinto of the hummingbirds treated by Descourtilz; 352, list of plates with modern nomenclature. Contains facsimile illuminated title page Oiseaux-mouches / orthorhynques/ du Brésil, dated Rio de Janeiro1831 and facsimile color half-tone plates 1-23, all printed on one side only and not included in pagination.
This unusual book contains a facsimile, including French text, of an unpublished manuscript concerning hummingbirds with original watercolors by Descourtilz from the National Library of Brazil. It is of special interest, not only for the hitherto unknown paintings but also because there is very little published text by the artist. The paintings lack accompanying foliage which is most unusual for Descourtilz. His text is here updated by O. Pinto.
On 11 November, 1992, Christie's London auctioned (lot 174), for £85,800, a manuscript by Descourtilz that was dated "Rio-Janeiro, 1831". It was entitled "Histoire des Oiseaux-mouches habitant les districts de Rio-Janeiro, Bananal, San-Paulo, Macahé, Canta-Gallo et Ilha Grande" Included were 31 original watercolors , four of which were illustrated in the catalogue. They were quite different and much nicer than these because the birds were engaged in dynamic activities that involved beautifully depicted plants.
Listed by AMNH, Trinity. Not listed by Cornell, Harvard, Yale.
Descourtilz, J(ean) T(heodore) (d. 1855)(Santos, Eurico, translator; Moojen, Joao, editor)
Ornitologia Brasileira / ou / Historia natural das Aves do Brasil / Notaveis por sua Plumagem, cantos e habitos 32.4 x 23.6 cm. Pp. 6 PL, 17-228[229-232];114 ll. Additional single blank leaves at front and back. Original heavy gray paper wrappers printed in black, gold and green with mounted color plate on upper cover. Uncut. Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Livraria Kosmos, Erich Eichner & cia., 1944. #439/1315.
PL1r, half-title; PL1v, blank; PL2r, "collecao / de temos / Brasileiros / obra / numero dois"; PL2v, limitation statement: A-F, 1-315, 316-1315; PL3r, copy number 439; PL3v, blank; PL4r, title; PL4v, publication data, original French title; PL5r, dedication to Arthur Neiva; PL5v, blank; PL6v-r, brief biography of Descourtilz; 17, introduction; 29, species accounts numbered 1-164; 213, index to plates; 217, index of scientific and popular names; 229/230, blank; 231, colophon; 232, blank. Contains mounted (21.9 x 16.3 cm) colored plates (Estampas) 1-42 printed on recto only, each accompanied by tissue guard with identificatory letter-press. Plates and tissue guards not included in pagination. Plates and text contained within decorative printed green border. First Portuguese edition.
Although the pagination suggests otherwise, this very handsome book is complete. Apparently, the pagination was meant to include the upper wrapper and initial blank as preliminary leaves.
Jean Theodore Descourtilz was a French doctor, artist and ornithologist whose love affair with the wilds of Brazil led to his premature death of a tropical illness. He was the son of Michel Étienne Descourtilz, a well known traveler, writer and botanist whose great work on the Antillean flora was embellished by 600 colored engravings, the originals for which were designed and drawn by his gifted son. The younger Descourtilz used his expertise as a botanical artist to enhance his pictures of Brazilian birds and his ornithological depictions are highly distinctive and exceptionally beautiful.
The present book is a Portuguese translation with editorial additions of a work published 1852(-1856) entitled Ornithologie brésilliene; ou, Histoire des oiseaux du Brésil remarquables par leur plumage, leur chant, ou leurs habitudes. Although it has a Brazilian imprint, that book was actually produced in England. It was illustrated with fine large folio chromolithographs. These were amongst the first ornithological illustrations produced by chromolithography and remain perhaps the finest ever done by this method. The book covered 164 species. It is a very uncommon book with a print run that I would guess was between 50 and 100.
Descourtilz's first ornithological book, Oiseaux brillans du Brésil (Paris[ca.1834]) was even more attractive and much rarer than this one. It was illustrated with 60 folio hand-colored lithographs produced in France. Most plates depicted a single species. There are almost certainly less than 10 complete, or nearly complete copies. I've seen two. The Bradley Martin copy lacking one plate, and a complete example offered by Graham Arader for $35,000 which mysteriously disappeared after the Martin copy fetched $121,000. Another complete copy in The Netherlands was used in 1960 to produce a facsimile edition of the plates although only 32 were published in color, the remainder in black-and-white. This book is in my collection and was issued with various titles including Pageantry of Tropical Birds and Oiseaux brillans et remarquables du Brésil.
However, the rarest and most exquisite of prints by Descourtilz were part of a work that was never completed. Barba de Moraes, the Brazilian bibliographer, says (p. 261) "The lithographic printing house of Heaton and Rensburg of Rio de Janeiro issued several (some thirty) plates of Brazilian birds by Descourtilz. It appears that they were executed for a work which the author intended to publish entitled Oiseaux de Brésil remarquables par leur plumage, leur raréte ou leurs habitudes accompagnés d'accessoires indiquant leur manière de vivre. The printing was never completed and the book remained unpublished". These plates were done by outstanding hand-colored lithography in large folio format. In general, only one species was shown per plate. Some of the figures were subsequently combined with newly drawn birds to form the chromolithographic plates used for the subsequent work. Only two copies are known of the suite of 30 large folio hand-colored lithographs. One is in the LSU collection and the other was auctioned by Sotheby's London in December 1997. I had occasion to examine the latter at my leisure and I consider it amongst the five most beautiful collections of ornithological prints. The other four are the Audubon folio, Gould's Hummingbirds and Birds of Great Britain and Traviès's Les Oiseaux les plus remarquables.
Descourtilz was also fascinated by hummingbirds and devoted a contemporarily unpublished manuscript to them. The manuscript was revisited and published in a limited edition of 1000 copies in 1960. My library contains a copy. The original, or at least an original with a similar theme, was auctioned at Christie's London in the early 1990s.
Yale, p. 76 (both this edition and the original). Both editions lacking at Trinity.
Descourtilz, J(ean) Th(éodore) (d.1855) (commentary by Moojen, João)
Two volumes in a single damaged slipcase.
Pageantry / of / tropical birds 43.8 x 29.1 cm. Pp. [1-4]5-23(1). Original publisher's half green cloth with beige cloth sides containing gilt figure of hummingbird on upper cover, gilt lettering on spine. Pictorial dust jacket. London, A. Zwemmer Ltd, 1960.
1, Half-title; 2, blank; 3, title printed in red; 4, copyright in Brazil, 1960 by Colibris Editora; credits: plates printed by L. van Leer, & C., Amsterdam; text printed by N. V. Drukkerim G. J. Thieme, Nijmegen; bound by Van Rijmenam, the Hague; 5, preface; 6, blank; 7, list of plates; 8, blank; 9, explanation of plates (French, English, Latin names, original citation, brief text). Contains plates 1-60 of which 32 in color gravure, 28 uncolored collotypes ("photolithography"). This example has an extra copy of plate 60.
Oiseaux brillants (sic) / et remarquables / du Brésil / placés près des végétaux / don les fruits les nourrissent 43.8 x 29.1 cm. Pp. [1-4]5-40. Facsimile of original gray lithographed wrapper dated 1835 and with the word "brillans" rather than "brillants". London, A. Zwemmer, 1960.
1, Half-title; 2, blank; 3, title; 4, copyright Colibris Editora; 5, avant-propos (French translation of preface from above); 6, blank; 7, original unpublished manuscript by Descourtilz including introduction and text for 60 plates.
If I were asked to name the five most beautiful ornithological books, at least one, and possibly two would be by Descourtilz, so this entry is worth a digression concerning the ornithological works by that great, but little-known artist.
Descourtilz was the son of a medical botanist, Michel Étienne Descourtilz, for whose Flore pittoresque et medicale des Antilles…(1821-1829) he drew the 600 colored plates. The son was more ornithologist than botanist but one of the signal characteristic of his pictures is the beautiful and correct foliage in which he places his birds. He produced three rare bird books dealing with the avifauna of the Brazilian jungle of which he had first hand field and museum experience. The books are as follows;
(Oiseaux brillans du Brésil, Paris, for the author[?]1834), so designated as lot 68 in the Sotheby's NY catalog for the sale of Bradley Martin's library, 6/7/89. 463 x 293 mm. This is the work of which the present entry is a facsimile edition. The plates, hand-colored lithographs in the original, are designated lith de Callier and were produced in Paris. There was no published text, however, there was an accompanying manuscript which is published for the first time as part of the present entry. The Martin copy sold for $121,000. According to the Sotheby's catalog, there were only four copies known, two of which had the complete complement of 60 plates. The Martin copy, which I examined, had 59. At the time of the auction, the Arader Gallery had a complete copy that I also examined, which was unknown to Sotheby's in their survey so there are at least five copies. This is amongst the most beautiful of bird books.
Oiseaux remarquables du Brésil (from a part wrapper). 535 x 360 mm. Rio de Janeiro, Imprimerie Lithographique Heaton & Rensburg (c. 1840-1850). A work so described was auctioned by Sotheby's London on 12/4/1997 as lot 22 and was examined carefully by me. It contained 30 hand-colored lithographs printed in Brazil by Heaton & Rensburg without text. It sold for £298,500($501,480). Another copy of the same work is described as item 1003 in Nature Classics A Catalogue of the E. A. Mcilhenny Natural History Collection at Louisiana State University (1987) by A. H. Perrault. The pictures here are different, and perhaps even more beautiful than those in the preceding work. Some of the figures of the birds are reproduced without all of the accompanying foliage, in Ornithologie Brésillienne (vide infra). I know of no other copies of this book. According to Barba de Moraes (p. 261), "The printing was never completed and the book remained unpublished."
Ornithologie brésilienne ou histoire des oiseaux du Brésil, remarquables pare leur plumage, leur chant ou leurs habitudes Rio de Janeiro and London, Thomas Reeves (1852-1856). 617 x 448 mm. Contans 48 plates in chromolithography printed by Waterlow and Sons of London. This work, which contains a text, is not nearly so rare as the others and is present in several major collections. It was originally issued in four parts and can bear different imprints. However, the plates are always designated Waterlow and were produced in London. The plates are not as nice as in the other two works because several species are figured on most of them, because foliage is often lacking, and because chromolithography (and this is a very early example) is never as pleasing as fine hand-coloring. An edition of this book translated into Portuguese and containing reduced reproductions of the plates was published in Brazil in 1944.
The fine facsimile plates in the present edition are exceptionally well produced by Lange / van Leer, one of the best color-printing firms of the era.
This facsimile is listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity and Yale.
Des Murs, Marc Athanese Parfait Oeillet[1804-1878])(plates after Prévost, Alphonse [fl. 1830-1850], Oudart, Paul Louis [1796-post 1859]). This edition edited by R. A. Reinle
Handkolorierte Vogelbilder / aus dem 19. Jahrhundert / 12 Farbreproduktionen aus / O. Desmurs / Iconographie Ornitholgique / Paris 1845-49 / nach dem Exemplar in der / Universitätsbibliothek Basel (from first leaf of text) Sheets 41.7 x 33.1 cm. Printed colored plates 30.5 x 24.2 cm. Printed text 29.7 x 21.0 cm. Text unpaginated, two conjugate leaves. 12 plates reproduced in six-color half-tone, each contained loosely within two conjugate leaves (41.7 x 33.1 cm), the upper leaf with a window to simulate a mat for the enclosed colored plate. The whole contained loosely in a printed white thick paper portfolio with title printed on upper cover. Basel, Alkuin-Verlag (ca. 1972).
This suite reproduces 12 plates, numbers 9, 15, 19 and 22 after Prévost, 27, 35, 37, 38, 46, 62, 66 and one unnumbered after Oudart, from "Iconographie ornithologique. Nouveau recueil general de planches peintes d’oiseaux, pour servir de suite et de complement aux planches enluminées de Buffon et aus planches coloriés de MM> Temminck et Luugier de Chartrouse". That rare and beautiful work, like its predecessors, appeared in both a quarto and folio format, the former now rare, the latter extremely so. The short text by Reinle gives a very brief summary of ornithological book illustration and puts "Iconographie ornithologique" in perspective. Of the 72 hand-colored lithographs by Lith de Becquet in the original, plates 1-25 were after originals by Prévost, the remainder after Oudart.
The present facsimile set was apparently not marketed outside of Europe. I found it listed for three German and Swiss state libraries and for the Library of Congress which suggested 1972 as the year of publication. It (this facsimile) is not listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Melvyl, Trinity and Yale.
Detmold, M. & E.(Charles Maurice [1883-], Edward Julian[1883-1957])
Pictures from Birdland 24.4 x 19.1 cm. Pp. Three preliminary leaves (half-title, decorated title leaf printed in red and black, preface by “E. S.” who supplied the poems for the work). Twenty four unnumbered leaves of chromolithographic plates including frontispiece by J. S. Virtue & Co. Ltd. after M. (13) and J. (11) Detmold, the poem for each plate printed opposite it on the verso of the antecedent plate save for the frontispiece and first plate which have their letter press on adjacent leaves of tissue. Initial and terminal blank leaves. Original publisher’s printed and decorated boards with illustration of Ivory-billed Woodpecker on upper cover. London, J. M. Dent & Co., 1899.
We are told by E. S. in the preface that M. and E. Detmold are twins who were 15 at the time of publication of this work. E. S. also informs us that their work was shown to the publisher, J. M. Dent, who immediately commissioned them to prepare plates for the present book. E. S. wrote a poem intended for children for each of the 24 species depicted by the Detmolds. The book has thus been considered as one for children and has been entirely overlooked by ornithologists despite the extraordinary quality of its ornithological pictures. These paintings are remarkable for interplay of light and dark and for the contribution of lines to form an interesting and unique style of picture which, at the same time, captures the essence of shape and posture for each of the birds. My favorites are Ivory-billed Woodpecker, (Spectacled) Owl, Bateleur, Osprey and Caracara.
Edward Julian Detmold (1883-1957) became one of the most highly regarded of artists for various children’s books of the 20th century. However, he always maintained his interest in birds and illustrated W. H. Hudson’s Birds in Town & Village (London, 1919) as well as The Book of Baby Birds which he authored with Florence Dugdale. His original paintings of birds have sold consistently well at English auctions of ornithological art (for example, Lot 334, “Kingfishers on a Branch”, Sotheby’s BH 8015, Wildlife in Art, London, February 24, 1998). The present work was, of course, the first containing illustrations by the Detmolds.
Absent from all major ornithological collections and bibliographies even including those by Freeman and by Irwin. Listed only by Peter Tate under “Birds & Birdwatching” in (p. 241) A Century of Bird Books (London, 1979).
Rediscovery of the yellow-fronted gardener bowerbird 28.2 x 21.3 cm. Pp. 431-434. In Science, Volume 216, Washington, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 22 April, 1982. Entire issue. The upper cover of the magazine contains a reduced (20.3 x 17.4 cm) version of the colored plate by William T. Cooper of this bird from The birds of paradise and bowerbirds, first American edition, Boston, 1979. The text contains figure 1, an uncolored line drawing by Diamond of the male displaying to a female at the bower.
This article describes the finding in 1979 and 1981 of Amblyornis flavifrons, one of the most exciting ornithological discoveries of the 20th century. The bird had been previously known only from three skins that had passed through a Paris market in the late 19th century. The precise locality where the skins were obtained was unknown and the species was not located despite many searches. Diamond found it in the Foja mountains, a remote area of northwestern New Guinea about which he writes (p. 432) " …and there is no evidence of humans ever previously having visited except for the existence of the three A. flavifrons specimens." Here, he describes the bird's behavior and bower. Apparently, the photographs that he made were lost and the sketch in this article is the only visual evidence of his findings. He did, however, bring back tape recordings of the vocal display.
Jared Diamond is a physiologist and evolutionary biologist at UCLA with a long-standing interest in ornithology and particularly in the birds of New Guinea and northern Melanesia.
Dickey, Donald R(yder)(1887-1932), Van Rossem, A(driaan)J(oseph)(1892-).
The Birds of El Salvador 23.0 x 15.3 cm. Pp. (4 including half-title leaf and series title leaf = Publication / of / Field Museum of Natural / History / Zoological Series / Volume XXIII / Chicago, U. S. A. / 1938)[1-2]3-609[610](2, blank); 208 ll. Binder’s blue buckram, original gray wrappers (upper printed, lower blank) included. Field Museum of Natural History, Zoological Series, Volume 23, Publication 406, Chicago, March 21, 1938.
1, Title; 3, contents; 5, list of illustrations; 7, preface; 9, itinerary; 10, acknowledgment; 11, ornithological history; 13, gazetteer; 29, topography; 31, climate; 35, life zones; 52, geographical distribution of avifauna; 56, method of treatment; 58, systematic annotated list; 595, hypothetical list; 597, explanation of plates; 601, index; Contains collotype half-tone plates I-XXIV on 13 unpaginated leaves, the first and last printed on one side only. The frontispiece, I, is from a painting by Alan Brooks, the others are mainly from photographs of habitat. Also contains text figures 1-29 including a full-page map of El Salvador and other smaller specific distribution maps etc.
This great work resulted from collecting expeditions made by Van Rossem in the years 1912 and 1925-1927 during which he collected close to 4,000 specimens of birds. Van Rossem also wrote the book and saw it through publication. Dickey’s role was apparently exclusively financial. Both authors were affiliated with the California Institute of Technology.
The work covers 446 species of which 308 are considered breeding residents. The copious and meticulous text includes Latin, English, and where feasible, local names; original citation for the species; citations for previous records in El Salvador; site of collection of each specimen; status; description of soft parts immediately after death; notes on plumage variations; remarks on nesting; arrival and departure dates for migrants.
Until the present work, the ornithology of this little Central American country was almost unexplored save for a few specimens collected by Rene Lesson’s brother 100 years earlier. This book ranks with those of Salvin and Godman, and of Carriker, as a cornerstone of Central American ornithology.
Mengel, 678; Trinity, p. 75
Dixon, Charles (1858-1926)
Bird-life in a southern county / being / eight years’ gleanings among the birds of Devonshire 25.3 x 20.0 cm. Manuscript. 227 Lined leaves with manuscript text on recto only. Fine later quarter red morocco, marbled boards. Spine with five gilt double lines delineating six compartments, four of which contain gilt lettering or numerals, the uppermost one being “MS”. TEG. NP, 1898 (from spine).
Nine volumes of manuscript for nine titles by Dixon suddenly appeared in 2014 on Ebay without reserves. I bought one and planned to buy others but they were all withdrawn without explanation. The penmanship is superb and there are a few marks with blue crayon. Such manuscripts for published ornithological books must be very rare. These are the first I’ve encountered.
Dixon, Charles (1858-1926)
Bird-life in a / southern county / being / eight years’ gleaning among the / birds of Devonshire 22.3 x 14.5 cm. π[1]82-198[$ 1 signed] 153 ll. Pp. (2, half-title, blank)[i-iii]iv-x[11]12-303(1). Original publisher’s green cloth with black-blocked title on upper cover and gilt lettering on spine. Uncut. London, Walter Scott, LTD, 1899.
π1r, half-title; π1v, blank; i, title; ii, blank; iii, preface; vi, blank; vii, contents; ix, list of illustrations; xi, text; 303, printer designation, The Walter Scott Press, Newcastle-On-Tyne. Contains uncolored frontispiece photo portrait of the author and ten unnumbered, uncolored half-tone scenic bird plates after Charles Whymper printed on one side of glossy sheets and not included in pagination.
Mullens and Swann remark (p. 169) that “Mr. Dixon wields a facile pen….”. So it is that this is a well written local ornithology that is full of personal observations and local lore. I bought it to complement the original manuscript for it, which I obtained serendipitously.
The game birds and wild fowl / of / the British Islands 27.5 x 22.0 cm. π2A4B81-298306[$1 signed]; 252 ll. Pp. [i-vi]vii-xxviii[1]2-476. Original publisher's pictorial brown cloth with partly colored pheasant, mallard on upper cover. Black block lettering on upper cover, gilt lettering on spine. Sheffield, Pawson & Brailsford, 1900.
i, Half-title; ii, printer designation; Pawson & Brailsford; iii, title printed in red; iv, blank; v, preface to second edition; vi, preface to first edition; ix, systematic index; xv, list of plates; xix, introduction; 1-453, systematic accounts, Columbiformes-Anseriformes, covering about 130 species; 454, appendix (update); 457, errata; 458, alphabetical index of English and Latin names; 470; printer designation; 471, list of subscribers (about 35 for large paper edition, 375 for regular paper); 475, trade subscribers (59, "many of whom take a large number of copies.") Contains one engraved tail-piece decoration and 41 colored plates numbered I-II, IIa, III-XL after Charles Whymper, 40 in chromolithography by Pawson & Brailsford, the other, plate III, Turtle Dove, by color half-tone ("three-color process." ) Plate IX, Pheasant serves as frontispiece.
Dixon, the author of many ornithological books with popular subject matter, considers as game birds and wild fowl: Columbiformes; Pediophili (sand-grouse); Galliformes; Ralliformes; Gruiformes; Charadriiformes (including bustards, coursers, pratincoles); and Anseriformes. The colored plates illustrate only about 56 of the 130 species that are discussed but many of those not illustrated ( and some that are) are exceedingly rare in Britain. For each species, Dixon provides: synonymy; local and general distribution; allied forms; habits; nidification; diagnostic characters. The book is written from an ornithological rather than a hunterly perspective.
Whymper and his brother, Edward, were responsible for wood-engraved text illustrations in numerous publications. Charles also wrote and illustrated a very attractive book, Egyptian Birds for the most part seen in the Nile Valley (1909) that was part of the Adam and Charles Black series in the early 20th century. Some of the pictures in the present work, those of pigeons for example, are very successful, whereas others, such as those depicting sandpipers, are poor, perhaps in part due to the mediocre chromolithography.
The first edition of this work was published in 1893 without colored plates. The "large paper" issue (100 copies) of the present edition was printed on sheets of 37 cm.
Wood, p. 321; Zimmer, p. 173. Also listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity, Yale.
From wrapper: Birds of the Hawaiian Islands / By Sanford B. Dole / Honolulu, H. I., / Member of the Hawaiian Natural History Society../ … / … / Second Edition / Honolulu, H. I. / Published by Thos. G. Thrum. / 1879 21.3 x 14.0 cm. Pp. [1]2-18. Original peach wrappers.
This is an offprint with its own pagination and printed wrappers of an exceptionally rare and important ephemeral item of Hawaiian ornithology. The title on the first page of text is “List of Birds of the Hawaiian Islands”. Although a list of Hawaiian birds was assembled from the literature by Hartlaub in 1854, the first edition of the present work, published by Dole in the Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History for 1869, is generally regarded as the first significant enumeration (48 species) of Hawaiian birds. This second edition was published as pp. 41-58 of the Hawaiian Almanac and Annual for 1879, compiled by Thos. G. Thrum. It corrects errors in the first list and gives synonymy, description, Hawaiian distribution, location of specimens and variable observations for 53 species. The almanac itself is exceedingly rare and I have not found any references to an offprint of the article such as this one. This was the most useful published work on Hawaiian birds until the local research in the last decade of the 19th century by Palmer, Wilson, R. C. L. Perkins and Henshaw. Furthermore, this article is the first work on ornithology with an Hawaiian imprint and this offprint is probably one of very few on any subject from that era with such an imprint.
The work is discussed by Andrew Berger (p. xii) in Hawaiian Birdlife (1981) and by Rothschild in (p. viii) his Avifauna of Laysan (1893)
Yale, p. 80 (in Hawaiian Almanac). Unlisted by Trinity, Wood, Zimmer and the BM(NH) catalogue.
Donovan, E.(dward)(1768-1837)
The natural history / of the / nests and eggs of British birds; / the / descriptions, / which are calculated for the naturalist as well as general observer, / are intended to comprehend every useful trait of information respecting the nidification, eggs and incubation of / the numerous species of the feathered tribes that inhabit the British Isles: / and are throughout accompanied by / a series of elegantly=colored plates, / comprehending figures / of the eggs of every species, with their most singular varieties, so far as they can be correctly ascertained. / The whole exclusively executed from nature, and disposed according to their respective genera, / by E. Donovan, F.L.S W.S. &c. / author of the natural history of British birds in ten volumes, and other approved works. 14.7 x 23.7 cm. Pp. [[1-3]4[5-16], (42 i. e. 21 labeling leaves as described below. Near contemporary half dark blue calf and machine marbled boards. Spine with four gilt raised ridges, red calf labeling piece in second compartment with gilt-lettered “EGGs”. Red sprinkled edges. Blue-green endpapers. London, printed for the author, 1826.
1, Title; 2, blank; 3, Address; 5, species accounts. Contains 17 unnumbered, very fine hand-colored engraved plates depicting eggs, and sometimes nests of 21 species. For each species there is a separate leaf with a mounted label on recto, facing the appropriate color plate. Eight of the plates are dated September 1, 1825. The remainder have various other dates during 1825 and 1826.
This is an unfinished and very attractive book intended to complement Donovan’s Natural history of British birds… (1794-1819). It is poorly organized. The introductory text deals with 15 species, not all the eggs of which are illustrated, whereas the plates illustrate the eggs of 21 species, not all of which are dealt with in the text. The text is insubstantial, providing only a few words concerning status and a brief discussion of the nest and eggs. The mounted labels provided for each illustrated egg give the name of the species in English, Latin and French (from Buffon), a reference to the plate number in Donovan’s British birds, and other references, often to Latham.
The artistic quality, if not the accuracy of Donovan’s work, has always been highly regarded and these plates are most appealing.
The work is rare.
Mengel, #703; Mullens & Swann, p. 174; Wood, p. 323. Not listed by AMNH, BMNH, Cornell, Harvard, LOC, Melvyl,
Dresser, Henry E(eeles) (1838-1913)
A / history / of the / birds of Europe / including all the species inhabiting the / western palearctic region. Nine volumes including Supplement. 31.2 x 24.5 cm. Gilt-ruled polished red half morocco and pebbled red cloth. Spines with five raised band, gilt lettering in second, third and fourth compartments, gilt floral tool in others. Marbled endpapers. TEG. London, by the author, 1871-1881(1882, according to Mullens & Swann), Volume IX, Supplement, London and Farnborough, Kent, 1895-1896. The complete work described below contains 723 plates of which 721 are colored.
Volume I. π5(not including additional wood-engraved title page)a-e4f2b2-2c322d32(-2d32)[$1 , 2 {or 1} signed]; 78 ll. Pp. (4, not including additional lithographed title leaf); [ix]x-xiii(1)[iii]iv-xlvi[1-4]5-102. π1r, Title; π1v, printer's imprint: Taylor and Francis; π2r, dedication to Lord Lilford; π2v, blank; π3r-π5r, list of subscribers (approximately 335 accounting for about 392 copies); π5v, blank; iii, preface explaining Sharpe's contributions to first 12 parts and other acknowledgements; vi, blank; vii, introduction; xxii, literature; xxxii, addenda et errata (for all volumes save Supplement); 1, index (for all volumes save Supplement); 102, printed printer designation. Contains extra wood-engraved title page by Wolf with decorative frame of plants from which small birds decry the presence of a centrally placed Scops owl, and with some added printed letter-press.
Volume II. π4; 4ll. Pp. [i-iii]iv-vi[vii]viii (excluding extra engraved title leaf). π1r, Title; π1v, printer's imprint; π2r-π3v, letterpress to volume II; π4r-π4v, plates to volume IV. Signatures and pagination in the text are separate for each species. Pagination that is sequential is presented only in the "letterpress" section. The plates are numbered only in the "plates" section, not on the individual plates. Pp. [1-644] with generic and specific accounts covering Turdinae-Acrocephalinae. Contains extra engraved title page, two wood-engraved text figures, and colored plates [1-95], all after Keulemans.
Volume III. π4; 4 ll. Pp. [i-iii]iv-vi[vii]viii. π1r, Title; π1v, printer's imprint; π2r-π3v, letterpress contents: π4r-π4v, list of plates. Pp [1-620], Drymoecinae-Fringillinae (to Montifringillae). Contains extra engraved title page, one engraved text figure, and colored plates[96-181], all after Keulemans.
Volume IV. π4; 4 ll. Pp. [i-iii]iv-vi[vii]viii. π1r, Title; π1v, printer's imprint; π2r-π3v, letterpress contents; π4r-π4v, list of plates. Pp. [1-635(1)], Fringillinae (from Fringilla)-Caprimulgidae. Contains extra engraved title page, one-four engraved text figures depending on how one counts them (one text illustration depicting bills and feet of two species), and plates [182-273], all save 262 colored and after Keulemans. Plate 262, uncolored lithograph showing heads and flying silhouettes of several crow species, undesignated.
Volume V. π4; 4 ll. Pp. [i-iii]iv-vi[vii]viii. π1r, Title; π1v, printer's imprint; π2r-π3v, letterpress contents; π4r-π4v, list of plates. Pp. [1-668], Picidae-Falconidae (to Elanus). Contains extra engraved title leaf, six text engravings, and colored plates [274-363] including nine after J. Wolf (of which W. Hart designated lithographer for one, J. Smit for two, E. Neale for two), two after Neale, the remaining 79 after Keulemans. One of the plates by Wolf is mistakenly designated D. Wolf.
Volume VI. π4; 4 ll. Pp. [i-iii]iv-vi[vii]viii. π1r, Title; π1v, printer's imprint; π2r-π3v, letterpress contents; π4r-π4v, list of plates. Pp. [1-708], Falconidae (from Pernis)-Anatidae. Contains extra engraved title leaf, eight text engravings, and colored plates [364-455] including three after Wolf (of which Smit designated lithographer of two), five after Neale (of which Hart designated lithographer for one), three unassigned (Glossy Ibis, Swan bills, Smew, female and young due to lack of initials, lack of printed designation, and my uncertainty as to style), the remaining 81 after Keulemans.
Volume VII. π4; 4ll. Pp. [i-iii]iv-vi[viii]viii. π1r, Title; π1v, printer's imprint; π2r-π3v, letterpress contents; π4r-π4v, list of plates. Pp. [1-660], Columbae-Scolopacidae (to Gallinago). Contains extra engraved title leaf, four text engravings, and plates [456-544], all colored save 485, an uncolored, undesignated lithographed plate of the feet of Lagopus albus at various dates. Of the 88 colored plates, fifteen are after Neale, the remaining 73 after Keulemans.
Volume VIII. π4; 4 ll. Pp. [i-iii]iv-vi[vii]viii. π1r, Title; π1v, printer imprint; π2r-π3v, letter press contents; π4r-π4v, list of plates. Pp. [1-666], Scolopacidae (from Limicola)-Podicipitidae. Contains extra engraved title leaf, two text engravings and colored plates [545-599(599a, second plate of Little Gull, this one showing basic and immature plumages) 600-633] of which one after Wolf, 11 after Neale, the remaining 78 after Keulemans.
Volume IX. Supplement [a]4b-c4d2(-d2)B-S4T2U2(-U2)X-2B42C22D2(-2D2)2E-3E43F2(-3F2)3G43H2(-3H2)3I-3O43P2(-3P2); [$1, 2 signed]; 234 ll. Pp. [i-v]vi-xxv(1)[1]2-441[442]. i, Title; ii, printer's imprint; iii, dedication to deceased daughter; iv, blank; v, letterpress contents; ix, list of plates; xi, preface; xiii, introduction; xv, literature; 1, generic and specific accounts; , Turdus swainsoni-Colymbus adamsi. 417, notes on species of dubious occurrence; 427, index to volume IX; 435, general index to volumes I-IX; 442, printer designation. Contains plates 634-722. According to Dresser, these were all by Keulemans but four were copied from Thorburn and one from Wolf. Those five plates, like the others, contain initials of Keulemans as well as printed designations of him. In my view, two of these, Emberiza saharae and Francolinus bicalcaratus, were originally drawn by Keulemans. The other three were probably originally drawn by Thorburn and Wolf as stated by Dresser in the preface.
The main body of this great work was issued in 84 parts, the Supplement in nine. Originally, Dresser and Sharpe were to write it in partnership, however, the partnership was dissolved after Sharpe had participated in writing the first 12 parts. Dresser also acknowledges assistance from the Marquis of Tweesdale but apparently did carried out all of this huge enterprise on his own. The work deals with 736 species and covers in great detai, synonymy, previous plates, description, distribution, life history including nidification and appearance of eggs, and citation of the specimens that were actually examined.
All of the species are illustrated in 721 hand-colored lithographed plates. Of these, 33 were drawn by Edward Neale, 13 by Joseph Wolf, and most, or all, of the remaining 675 by John Gerrard Keulemans although, according to Dresser, five attributed to him in the Supplement were copied from originals by Thorburn (4) and Wolf (1). The attribution of 678 plates, which may included the two undesignated uncolored ones, by Coldewey and Keulemans in Feathers to Brush (1982) is almost certainly slightly high. The weaknesses of an ornithological artist are always exposed if he/she is required to depict an entire avifauna and diving ducks are something of a bête noir for Keulemans in this work. All things considered, however, it is a beautifully illustrated work. In the main body, the printing of the plates was done by the firm of Walter that had also handled Gould's works, as well as by the firms of Hanhart and Mintern Bros. The coloring was done by a Mr. Smith and by William Hart who was one of Gould's artists. For the Supplement, Mintern Bros. printed most of the plates and H. Piffaretti, who had colored Dresser's Coraciidae, did that task here as well.
This work has been well catalogued by Anker (#120); Mengel, #711; Mullens & Swann, p. 179; and Zimmer, p. 177. It is interesting that these bibliographers have failed to notice a second colored plate of the Little Gull that comes between plates 599 and 600. Dealers' catalogs and those of auction houses always include that plate in their count.
The list of subscribers for the main work accounts for almost 400 copies. Since this list appeared in the last part, we may assume that these subscribers actually paid and that around 400 copies were printed. The Supplement did not contain a list of subscribers and was probably produced in a smaller number. I know that Wheldon & Wesley, through Weldon, acquired a remainder stock of these and had them colored into the 20th century but the present copy seems to possess original color.
The cost of the main work was originally 50 pounds, that of the Supplement, nine guineas.
Some of the plates were later inexpensively reproduced and used for lesser works, most notably Bonhote's "Birds of Great Britain" (1907).
Wood, p. Zimmer, p. 177. Also listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity, Yale.
Dresser, H(enry) E(eeles) (1838-1915)
A Monograph / of the / Meropidae, / or / Family of the Bee-Eaters 39.0 x 28.5 cm. The original five parts uncut and unopened in their printed blue wrappers as described below. Housed in a later blue cloth folding case within gilt-ruled blue half morocco blue cloth slip case. Spine with five raised bands, gilt lettering in second, fourth and sixth compartment. London, by the author, 1884-1886. This work contains 34 hand-colored lithographed plates drawn and lithographed by J. G. Keulemans and printed by Hanhart imp. They are numbered I-XXXIV in the list of plates but not on the plates themselves.
Wrappers: the wrappers are blue and contain decorative and printed matter only on the upper recto, the other three pages of each of the five sets being blank. Each upper recto contains a very decorative lithographed frame surrounding all printed matter save the printer designation of Taylor and Francis. Printed matter includes Part number; month and year of publication; title; author; contents including plates; and place (London).
Part I. May 1884. B-F4[$1, 2 signed]; 20 ll. Pp. [1-3]4-40. Entirely accounts of speciesl Contains seven unnumbered plates numbered I, III-VIII in the list of plates.
Part II. July 1884. G-I4K2L2(-L2); 15 ll. Pp. [41]42-69(70). Entirely accounts of species. Contains six colored plates (XI-XVI in list of plates).
Part III. October 1884. M-P4Q2; 18 ll. Pp. 71-106. Entirely accounts of species. Contains seven colored plates (XVII-XXIII).
Part IV. April 1885. R-T4U2(-U2); 13 ll. Pp. [107]108-131[132]. Entirely accounts of species. Contains seven colored plates (XXIV-XXVIII, XXX-XXXI).
Part V. March 1886. [a]4b4c2XX4Y2; 17 ll. Pp. [i-xi]xii-xix[xx]40A-40B[133]134-144. I, Title page with same wood-engraved vignette of Scops owl and small birds by Wolf that Dresser had used for title pages in his Birds of Europe (1871-1896). Ii, engraved printer designation: Taylor and Francis; iii, dedication to late Viscount Walden; iv, blank; v, contents; vii, list of plates numbered I-XXXIV here only, not on plates; xi, introduction including anatomy and history of the bee-eaters; xx, table of geographical distribution; 40A-40B, account of Merops muscatensis, described in 1886 for the first time; 131-144, other species accounts; 144, dates of publication; printer designation. Contains seven colored plates (II, IX-X, XXIX, XXXII-XXXIV).
This is one of the most beautiful of the late 19th century monographs because its subjects are elegant, brightly colored and very appealing tropical birds. The accounts include: synonymy/bibliography; reference to antecedent illustration; diagnosis in Latin; description in English; discussion; and location of specimens examined. The discussions are comprehensive and thorough, however at the time that this book was written, very little was known about several of these exotic birds.
This is quite a remarkable copy which is absolutely naïve, uncut, unopened, and in completely fresh condition. I have frequently read that the print run comprised 250 copies, however, I am unclear whence this figure derives.
Wood, p. 324; Zimmer, p. 178. Also listed by AMNH, Cornell, Trinity, Yale but not by Harvard.
(Dresser, H[enry] E[eles] [1838-1915])
(A monograph / of the / Coraciidae, / or / family of the rollers Farnborough, Kent, by the author, 1893) Complete suite of 27 hand-colored lithographed plates drawn and lithographed by J. G. Keulemans. Most printed by Hanhart imp., two by Mintern Bros., and three not designated. Lacking all text and preliminaries. The prints are 37.2 x 28.0 cm. They have been mounted in acid-free archival matting, mat size, 43.2 x 37.0 cm, image size, 30.5 x 24/4 cm. Stored in two black archival folding print boxes.
The volume from which these plates come is a companion to that published by Dresser (1884-1886) on Bee-eaters. The pictures in these two books have always been considered amongst the most decorative that Keulemans did because of their relatively large format and because they depict spectacular, brightly colored tropical birds. Dresser knew how to produce beautiful (and informative) bird books. His Birds of Europe (1871-1896) is another example. Of him, Peter Tate remarked (A Century of Bird Books [1979], p. 28)"….almost the last of those devoted amateurs in ornithology who had both the time and financial means to write and publish these sumptuous books which are their memorials."
I remember well the peculiar local auction at which I bought these prints. It was early in my pursuit of illustrations by Keulemans. There were a sizeable number of lots containing substantial or complete sequences of plates without text from various rare and important illustrated natural history books including Lewin's …. Birds of New South Wales and Seligmann's Verzameling van Uitlandsche en Zeldzaame Vogelen amongst others. One couldn't help but wonder about the history of these items.
I have often read in dealers' catalogs that 250 copies of the present work were printed.
Wood, p. 324; Zimmer, p. 178. Also listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity, Yale.
Dresser, H.(enry)E.(eles) (1838-1915)
A manual of / Palaearctic birds Two parts in one volume. 22.2 x 15.4 cm. [A]8B-II8KK6(-KK6)LL-3N83O4[$1,2 signed]; 473 ll. Pp. [i-iii]iv-vii[viii-xvi][1]2-498(8)499-922. Old binder’s brown buckram with gilt lettering to spine. Red-sprinkled edges. London, by the author, Part I, 1902, Part II, 1903. Inscribed and signed by the author on the first title page.
i, Title; ii, printer designation: Richard Clay and Sons Limited, Bungay, Suffolk; iii, preface dated June, 1903; vi, abbreviations of the works chiefly cited; ix, systematic index to part I; xvi, blank; [1]species accounts, Turdus viscivorus-Aluco flammeus, #s 1-709; KK2r, title, part II; KK2v, printer designation; KK3r, systematic index, part II; KK5v, blank; 499, species accounts, Gyps fulvus-Troglodytes fumigatus, #s 710-1219; 887, list of English names; 899, generic and specific index; 922, printer designation. Contains two half-tone frontispieces (one colored) by André & Sleigh Ltd after J. Wolf and duplicate wood-engraved uncolored vignettes on title pages, probably also after Wolf.
This work represents a condensed version of Dresser’s extraordinary Birds of Europe (1871-1896) with the addition of Asiatic species and subspecies. Species and subspecies are denoted by binomials. For each entity, Dresser provides synonymy, a description with measurements, distribution, habitat and a description of the nest and eggs if appropriate.
Wood, p. 324; Zimmer, p. 178-180; Also listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity and Yale.
Du Bus (De Gisignies), Bernard (Amé Léonard) (1808-1874)
Esquisses ornithologiques; descriptiones et figures / d'oiseaux noveaux / ou peu connus 36.6 x 28.9 cm. Loose in five original sets of printed blue wrappers without preliminaries. Housed in later blue cloth Solander box with paper labeling piece on spine. Bruxelles, A. Vandale, 1845-1848 (-1850?). Imprimerie D'Em. Devroye et Compe (from upper wrapper). Contains hand-colored lithogrpaphic plates 1- 37 (vide infra)
Wrappers: upper wrapper recto contains printed title page (without date) framed by decorative lithographed floral design. Lower plain wrapper verso promises 20 additional parts, each containing five plates with text and priced at 12 francs. The upper verso and lower rectos of the wrappers are plain without printed matter.
The text pages are unpaginated and without signatures save that, at the bottom left, they contain the number and year of the livraison. There are no independent title pages nor other preliminaries.
1er liv. 1845. Six unpaginated leaves. Plates 1-5, hand-colored lithographs drawn, lithographed and printed by G. Severeyns who was responsible for all plates unless otherwise specified.
2e liv. 1846. Six unpaginated leaves. Plates 5-10. Plate 6 in facsimile.
3e liv. 1847. Seven unpaginated leaves. Plates 11-15. Plates 13 and 14 drawn and lithographed by J. Dekeghel.
4e liv. 1848. Six unpaginated leaves. Plates 16-20.
Final livraison lacks text and is therefore undated. Contains plates 21-37.
This is an important and relatively little known work that was published more or less simultaneously with Des Murs' Iconographie Ornithologique and, like that volume, may have been intended as a kind of continuation of the Planches Enluminées and the Planches Coloriées, The plates are elegantly drawn and resemble those of the antecedent volume in style. For the most part, they are portraits although a few have some background that is generally uncolored. Some plates have uncolored anatomical parts in addition to the main figure.
Many of the species described and pictured here were new. Most are neotropical, some having been sent to the Brussells Museum from Mexico. When a text is present, it is substantial and contains: the original reference if described before appearance of this publication; a description in Latin; another in French with measurements; distribution; and a variable section concerning whatever else is known.
Copies that appear for sale almost always have plate 6 in color half-tone facsimile.
Du Pinet, Antoine. (16th century) (Linocier, Geofroy)
L'Histoire / des oyseaux / recueillie de Gessne-/ rus & autres bons / & approuuvez / autheurs Laid paper. 16o. 11.5 x 8.0 cm. π3C-3E83F6[$1-4, signed]; 31 ll. Pp. [63]64-123(1). Later salmon boards, white paper labeling piece on spine. Paris, Guillaume Macé, 1619. 63, title with woodcut decorative border; 64-123, descriptions of 58 birds, a bat, and honey bees, each with illustrative woodcut.
The original edition of Du Pinet's Historia Plantarum, written in Latin and published in Lyons in 1561, was an abridgement of Mathiole's (Dioscoride's) Herbal. In 1584, Linocier published a translation in French and added chapters on other subjects including birds. The present work is a second edition of Linocier's translation with its supplementary material. The engravings in this ornithological section were copied from Gessner. The second (1619) edition is much more important than the first because it contains (not in the present section) an addendum on plants imported from Virginia and was among the first works to present pictures of American plants. Sometimes this edition is listed under "Robin" because these plants were grown in his garden. This second edition also contained the sections on animals with separate titles and with pagination independent of the main part of the work devoted to plants.
There are two new world birds illustrated here: the muscovy and the turkey. The latter is called "Coq d'Inde" from which the present French words for turkey, dinde or dindon, derive.
The text for the swallow is also of special interest since it states that the bird comes from Africa to nest in our homes. This is a pretty clear statement of the notion of migration which I had thought was not articulated until the late 17th century. Indeed, there was a large body of thought maintaining that swallows hibernated, perhaps even under ice, during the winter.
Bats and honey bees are also discussed and illustrated although it is admitted that they are not exactly birds!
Ronsil, 945 (Du Pinet), 1802, (Linocier). Also listed by BMNH, Harvard. Yale lists the 1584 edition. Neither 1584 nor 1619 edition listed by AMNH, Cornell, Trinity, Wood, Zimmer.
Dubois, Alphonse (Joseph Charles [1839-1922])
Remarques sur l'ornithologie / de / l'état indépendant du Congo / suivies / d'une liste des espèces recueilles jusqu'ici dans cet état 36.7 x 27.5 cm. π41-34[4]452[$1 signed]; 22 ll. Pp. (8)[1]2-36. Contained as loose folded uncut broadsheets, 73. 4 x 55.0 cm, in original printed portfolio with duplicate title on upper cover. Annales du Musée du Congo, Zoologie-Série IV, Tome I.-Fascicule I. Bruxelles, État Indépendant du Congo, publiées par ordre du Secrétaire d'État, Novembre, 1905 (date taken from portfolio). For sale at Spineux et Cie.
π1r, Half-title; π1v, blank; π2r, title; π2v, blank; π2r-π4r, préface dated August, 1905; π4v, blank; 1-21(1), I, partie descriptive: species accounts, Barbatula rubrigularis-Pelecanus sharpei, comprising 24 species; 23, II, relevé des oiseaux observés dans l'état indépendent du Congo, Podicipidae-Psittaci, species 1-483, with areas where collected. Contains colored plates I-XII depicting 17 species, drawn by Cuvelier and printed in half-tone on one side only by Étabst Jean Malvaux. Also contains one uncolored half-tone text figure.
This is an important contribution to African ornithology, being the first major list of species found within the Congo. The species were those found in the two Belgian museums, the Musée royal d'histoire naturelle de Belgique and the Musée du Congo which relocated to Tervueren in 1897. A few additional species of whose identity and site of collection Dubois was certain were also included on the list.
In addition to the list, there is a descriptive section in which Dubois describes 24 little-known species, including several touracos with a key to their identification. The descriptive accounts contain synonymy, a description, various anatomical measurements, distribution, and comments including the relationship to closely allied species. Four species are described as new and 17 are illustrated, most probably for the first time. Amongst the illustrated species is the river martin.
Anker, 122; Mengel, 719; Wood, p. 325. Also listed by Cornell, Harvard, Trinity. Not listed by AMNH, Yale.
Dubois, Alphonse (Joseph Charles)(1839-1922)
Synopsis Avium / Noveau / manuel d'ornithologie Two volumes 28.1 x 18.7 cm. Original printed cream gray boards with title on upper cover, list of publications by Dubois on lower. Uncut, unopened. Bruxelles, H. Lamertin, 1902 and 1904.
Première Partie / (1899-1902) π2I4II21-914922(-922)[$1 signed]; 373 ll. Pp. [I-V]VI-XV[XVI][1]2-729[730]. I, half-title; II, blank; III, title; IV, blank; V, introduction; XIII, systematic table of orders and families (for this volume); XVI, list of plates; 1-729, systematic list, #1, Strigops habrotilus-#9,417, Menura alberti; 730, blank. Contains chromolithographic plates I-XII designated as drawn and lithographed by Dubois, printed by J. Goosens, Chromolith. The plates are not initialed within the images.
Deuxième Partie / 1902-1904 π51-764772; 311 ll. Pp. [I-VII]VIII-IX[X] 731]732-1339[1340-1341](1). I, half-title; II, blank; III, title; IV, blank; V, postface; VI, blank; VII, systematic table of orders and families (for this volume); X, list of plates; 731-1052, systematic list, #9,418, Spheniscus apicauda-#12,000, Struthio camelus; 1,053, supplément, additions et corrections; 1,119, alphabetical index of genera for both volumes; 1,171, alphabetical index of species and varieties for both volumes; 1,340, blank; 1,341, list of publications by Dubois; printer designation: Polleunis & Ceuterick, imprimeurs. Contains chromolithographic plates XIII-XVI, initialed by Dubois in the images but without printed designation of either artist or printer.
This major work was intended to succeed those of Bonaparte (Conspectus Avium, 1850-1854) and G. R. Gray (Hand-list of Genera and Species, 1869-1871). The author claims to have listed 16,478 species (12,509), sub-species and varieties comprised in 2,252 genera. A typographical error described in the "Postface" of the second part explains that after page 613, the numbers assigned to the genera are too low by 300, i. e. they are numbered 1-1,440 and 1,141-1,952 instead of 1-2,252. For each entry, Dubois lists synonymy and references, often cites an illustrative plate, and gives an approximate distribution. The work originally appeared in 17 parts whose dates of receipt at the British Museum are given by Zimmer. Page 1,341 lists the. publications of Alphonse Dubois. A slightly different version together with the prices at which the items can be purchased from Lamertin is presented on the lower board of each volume. His most important publication was finished by him after the death his father, Charles Fréderic (1804-1867) and was entitled "Les oiseaux de l'Europe et leurs oeufs (1868-1872). However, the lower cover here, while not listing that work, does list "Faune illustrées des Vertébrés de la Belgique, Oiseaux" four volumes containing 427 hand-colored plates. This may be a revised edition of his father's work "Planches coloriées des oiseaux de la Belgique et de leurs oeufs" (1854-1860). These books are now rare.
Wood, p. 325; Zimmer, p. 180-181; Also listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity, Yale.
Birds of Southwestern Brazil / Catalogue and Guide / to the Birds / of the Pantanal of Mato Grosso / and its Border Areas 24 x 17 cm. 198 Leaves. Pp. [1-4]5-8(four unpaginated glossy leaves containing 19 unnumbered photographs)9-144(30 unpaginated glossy leaves containing section title leaf and colored plates 1-58 on 29 ll)145-164. Original green cloth with gilt lettering on spine and upper cover. DJ with photographic illustration. Küsnacht, Switzerland, Betrona Verlag, for the author, 1992.
1, Title; 3, contents; 4, uncolored map; 5, introductory notes; 11, annotated list of the birds; 142, literature; 145, index of English names; 153, index of scientific names.
This book covers 698 species, for each of which is given Latin, English and Portuguese name, brief description, local distribution, ecology and range. Almost all species are illustrated in colored portraits done by the author. This book seems to be the only one devoted exclusively to this area save perhaps for Naumberg’s The Birds of Mato Grosso (1930). As such, it is probably useful although the illustrations are poorly drawn and colored.
Illustrirtes Thierleben / Für / Schule und Haus. / Mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der amerikanische Thiere / / / Die Vögel 21.3 x 14.3 cm. π8[1]82-168174[$1 signed];140 ll (including initial blank leaf). Pp. (2, blank)[I-IV]V-XIV[1]2-264. Original publisher's green cloth with blind panels, gilt decoration and title on upper cover, gilt lettering and design on spine. Red edges. Blue endpapers. Milwaukee, Verlag von Geo. Brumder, 1879.
π1, blank; π2r, title; π2v, copyright; π3r, foreword; π3v, blank; π4r-π7v, index of names (German, English, Latin); π8r-π8v, list of colored plates; 1, birds, overview; 27, raptores;raveners); 67, scansores; climbers; 85, incessores; perchers; 172, rasores; scratchers; 199, cursores; runners; 211, grallatores; waders; 231, natatores; swimmers; 260, bird calendar. Contains chromolithographed plates I-XIV adapted from Studer and depicting 48 North American species. Also contains 30 unnumbered text woodcuts, mostly copied from Audubon and Wilson and depicting North American birds, but a few showing South American species (Rhea, Penguin, Toucan). One text figure, of a cowbird and perhaps done specifically for this work, designated Marr & Richards, Milwaukee.
This remarkable book was printed in German gothic type and published in Milwaukee. The publisher, Brumder, was later responsible for Heinrich (Henry) Nehrling's vastly superior Die Nordamerikanische Vogelwelt ([1889-]1891]) and its English version, Our Native Birds of Song and Beauty ([1889-]1896). There was no English version of the present work, however, the author wrote an antecedent comparable work on animals in German that Brumder published in 1875.
This work is a popular treatment of ornithology that begins with some general considerations and then goes through the entire classification selecting for somewhat detailed treatment North American species as examples of appropriate families. The book is of interest not so much for its content as for its relationship to the American "melting pot" and the contemporary Germanic community in Milwaukee.
The book is quite uncommon and absent from Wood, Zimmer, and all of the usual museum and university libraries save the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian.
Dunning, John S(tewart) (1906-).
Portraits / of / tropical / birds 27.9 x 21.6 cm. Pp. [I-VI]VII-XX[1]2-153[154]. Original publisher's green cloth with gilt lettering to spine. Pictorial dust jacket with original price of $20 on upper flap. Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, Livingston Publishing Company, 1970.
I, Half-title; II, blank; III, title; IV, "printed in the Netherlands"; ISBN 0-87098-033-5; V, dedication; VI, blank; VII, contents; X, blank; XI, foreword by Olin Sewall Pettingill, Jr.; XIV, blank; XV, introduction; 1, the birds, comprising 72 plates with brief facing text; 147, methods and equipment; 153, references (13); 154, credits: printed by Smeets Lithographers, Weert; bound by Proost en Brandt, Amsterdam; typography by Alfred B. Carson Typography, Broomall, Pa. Contains photographic plates 1-72, so enumerated on facing page of brief text, printed in color half-tone on recto within white frame on green page. The facing text is printed on the verso of the antecedent plate and all plates are included in pagination. Also contains an uncolored line illustration and an uncolored half-tone photograph of equipment.
This is a collection of photographs of brightly colored tropical birds including 24 species of tanager. The birds were mist netted and photographed in carefully designed enclosures. One species, the colorful puff-leg, Eriocnemis mirabilis, was new to science. Many others had not previously been photographed.
The work is listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity and Yale.
Dunning, John S(tewart) (1906-) (with the collaboration of Robert S.Ridgeley)
South American / land birds / a photographic aid to / identification 22.8 x 15.1 cm. Pp. [i-viii]ix-xvi[1]2-364. Addenda and corrigenda card (21.6 x 9.3 cm) laid in loosely. Original publisher's blue cloth with gilt lettering on upper cover and spine. Endpaper maps on blue paper. Pictorial dust jacket. Promotional flier laid in loosely. Sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund. Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, Harrowood Books, (1982).
i, Half-title; ii, blank; iii, title; iv, copyright 1982; ISBN 0-915180-21-9; first printing; v, dedication; vi, blank; vii, contents; viii, blank; ix, foreword by Thomas Lovejoy, World Wildlife Fund; xi, introduction; xiii, acknowledgments; xiv, how to use this book; xv, abbreviations and definitions; xvi, chart of a bird; 1-192, colored plates with facing text covering about, 1,112 species; 193, text for species not illustrated (about 1,400); 325, methods and equipment; 329, photographic locations; 335, bibliography (31 entries); 337, general index including English and Latin names. Contains 95 unnumbered plates depicting1,112 species printed in color half-tone on recto with facing text on verso of antecedent plate. All included in pagination. Also contains two uncolored text illustrations of equipment.
The author captured by mist net and photographed in designed enclosures more than 1,100 species. Most plates contain 12 of these small photographs and I remember that a contemporary reviewer found it worthwhile to examine them with a magnifying glass. For a brief period, this book was the only source for colored illustrations of many of these birds. It was soon superceded, however by much better illustrated works such as Hilty's Guide to the birds of Colombia (1986) and Ridgeley's Birds of South America (1989, 1994).
The abbreviated text for the illustrated species and most other South American birds as well includes a distribution map, a length measurement, and a few words on the general coloration.
The work is listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity and Yale.
duPont, John Eleuthère (1939-) (color illustrations by George Sandström and John R. Peirce.
Philippine / birds 27.0 x 19.4 cm. Pp. [i-iii]iv-x1-480. Publisher's red cloth with gilt rules on spine, gilt lettering on upper cover and spines. Pictorial endpapers. Printed blue dust jacket. Monograph Series No. 2, Greenville, Delaware, Delaware Museum of Natural History, (1971). Newspaper article about author laid in loosely.
i, Blank; ii-iii, decorated title; iv, designed by James H. Weidner Associates, Cinnaminson, N. J.; manufactured by Kingsport Press, Kingsport, Tenn; copyright 1971; v, foreword by Dean Amadon; vii, introduction; viii, acknowledgments; ix contents; 1-419(1), sytematic accounts, Podiceps ruficollis-Loxia curvirostra, comprising about 500 full species, many additional subspecies; 421, bibliography (about 235 entries); 437, index of English and Latin names; 480, "Publication date: December 30, 1971. Contains colored plates 1-85 displaying about 500 species, printed in half-tone with running text on verso and included in pagination.
At the time of publication, this work contained many more colored figures of Philippine birds than any other book. The scant text for each species includes: original citation for nomenclature; a brief description with specific mention of soft parts and some measurements; Philippine distribution; subspecies. Numerous subspecies are cited.
The work was published by Dupont's museum.
Listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity and Yale.
duPont, John E(leuthère) (1939) (color illustrations by George Sandström).
South / Pacific / birds 22.9 x 15.3 cm. Pp. (I-IV)V-XII1-218. Publisher's green cloth with gilt rules on spine, gilt lettering on upper cover and spine. Blue endpaper maps. Pictorial dust jacket. Monograph Series No. 3. (Greeville, Delaware), Delaware Museum of Natural History, 1976.
I, Half-title printed in blue; II, blank; III, title printed in blue; vignette; IV, ISBN 0-913176-04-4; designed by Weidner Associates, Inc., Cinnaminson, N. J.; color reproductions and printing by Beck Engraving Co., Inc., Philadelphia; V, foreword by Kenneth C. Parkes; VII, introduction; IX, acknowledgments; X, blank; XI, contents; 1, systematic text, Diomedea epomophora-Gymnorhina tibicen comprising 183 species, many subspecies; 183, bibliography (about 137 entries); 193, list of names for individual islands; 199, index of English and Latin names; Contains plates 1-31 displaying 181 species, printed in half-tone with running text on verso and included in pagination.
This work covers an area whose ornithology is not widely known, including such island groups as Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, the Marquesas, Society, Cook and Tuamotu. Many of the colored figures of the birds in this book were the first such published representations. The scant species accounts include: citation for original nomenclature; brief description with explicit mention of soft parts and measurements; island distribution; subspecies. The book was published by Dupont's museum.
The work is listed by AMNH, Cornell, Harvard, Trinity and Yale.
D'Urban, W(illiam) S(tewart) M(itchell) (1836-1887), and Murray A(lexander) Mathew (1838-1908).
The / birds of Devon / with an introduction and some remarks on the / migrations of Devonshire birds 22.2 x 14.7 cm. [a]4(-a1{present as unpaginated blank})b-f8g2(-g2)B-2F82G42H6[$1, 2signed]; 278 ll Pp. [I-vii]viii-lxxxvii(1)[1]2-459(1)[12]22-72(1). Original publisher's blue cloth with block swallow vignette, gilt rules and printing on upper cover, gilt printing to spine. Rebacked with original spine laid down. Brown patterned endpapers with floral motif. London, R. H. Porter, 1892.
First edition. Zoological Society bequeathal slip on upper paste-down, rubber stamps of Society on half-title, title. i, Half-title; ii, poem; iii, title; iv, printer's imprint: Taylor and Francis; v, dedication; vi, blank; vii, contents; ix, list of illustrations; x, errata; xi, introduction; xvii, geography; xlii, changes in county ornis; xliv, faunistic position of species; lvii, collections of birds; lx, lines of migration; lxix, bibliography; lxxxiv, list of past workers; 1, systematic text, Turdidae-Alcidae comprising almost 300 species; 433, addenda and corrigenda; 443, index of English and scientific names; 459, printer designation; 12, list of (about 215) subscribers. Contains: uncolored folding map by Stanford's Geographical Establishment; two folding partly colored lithographic maps of migration routes by Mintern Bros. chromolithographic scenic frontispiece after William Henry M. D'Urban printed by W. Greve, Berlin: chromolithographic plates I-IV drawn and lithographed by J. G. Keulemans, printed by Mintern Bros.; Four mounted uncolored photographs, two of which resemble albumen prints, the others printed in collotype.
A separate supplement of 31 pages was issued in 1895. In the same year, a second edition with a slightly altered title page was published that incorporated the supplement.
Devon was the subject of the first British ornithological book describing the ornithology of a county. That work was Andrew Tucker's Ornithologia danmoniensis: or, an history of the habits and economy of Devonshire birds published in 1809. However, works dealing with county avifaunas did not become popular until the middle of the 19th century. The present volume is typical of those treating the subject in the late 19th century. The text concentrates on local status with arrival and departure dates, careful documentation of rare birds and many anecdotal observations. The printing, maps, photographs and colored plates are all of good quality and associated with craftspeople of established reputations.
Wood, p. 327; Zimmer, p. 188. Also listed by AMNH, Harvard, Trinity (second edition), Yale (second edition). Not listed by Cornell.
The Gulls (Laridae) of the World; Their Plumages, Moults, Variations, Relationships and Distribution 24.5 x 16.0 cm. Offprint (author’s separate?) Pp. 63-401[402]403-408(these last six pages, while bound and paginated as part of the offprint, actually are not part of the article per se, but comprise the index for all of volume LII including pp. 1-62). Original printed gray wrappers (damaged with part of lower wrapper missing). Uncut, partially unopened. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. Vol. LII, Art. III, New York, December 31, 1925.
63-64, Introduction; 65-84, taxonomy and nomenclature; 84-92, synonymy; 92-103, moults and plumages; 103-122, variations; 122-124, study material; 124-129, key to genera; 129-330, discussion of species; 330-336, bibliography; 337-401, figures. Contains plates V-X which are line cuts included in pagination, plates XI-XV which are colored, not included in pagination and, according to Mengel, by Allan Brooks, and Figures 1-384, which are half-tones depicting primaries on glossy paper, usually six to a page, by H. Ira Hartshorn according to Mengel, and occupying pp. 337-401.
The Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History is a journal that has consistently published articles of really extraordinary scholarship. There is no publicity for the journal and it is published in a very small print run. The present work is very uncommon and I suspect the print run was probably about 200. It’s not clear to me whether the articles of each volume were issued separately and then bound to form the volume or whether the volume was issued bound and copies of the individual articles supplied as author’s separates.
This particular work seems to me the scarcest of the ornithological articles from the journal. Other examples include Chapin’s great work on The Birds of the Belgian Congo (1932-1954) and Rand’s on those of Madagascar (1936) to name just two of a long and distinguished series.
Dwight was a physician and his monograph reminds me of an exhaustive medical review article. It is among the most meticulous and scholarly treatments of an ornithological family that I have ever seen and remains, 70 years later, a paradigm of its genre.
Mengel, #735. Unlisted Trinity, Wood, Yale and Zimmer.
The Richard L. Soffer Ornithology Collection by Richard L. Soffer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.amherst.edu.