A Monograph on the Sub-Class Cirripedia: [Vol. 1] The Lepadidae; or, Pedunculated Cirripedes [and] [Vol. 2] The Balanidae, (or Sessile Cirripedes); The Verrucidae, etc., etc., etc.

Description:

Plates drawn and engraved by George Sowerby. Scarce. The edition of each volume may not have been more than 800. In 1872 the Ray Society reduced remaining copies to 50 of each volume (Curle, 1954). 'Darwin spent much of his time for eight years, beginning in 1846, on this work and on the corresponding volumes of the British fossil forms. They are his only contributions to formal taxonomy and are still held in high regard.' - (Freeman, p. 66).

Freeman, 339; Curle, pp. 48/49.

Condition

2 vols, 8vo, bindings not uniform, Vol. II trimmed slightly shorter: Vol. I (230x145mm): orig. blue publisher's cloth, gt, neatly rebacked preserving the original spine, teg, cloth lightly spotted, spine darkened; Vol. II (222x145mm): rebound in later quarter morocco, blue buckram boards, gilt Ray Society monogram from the original front board laid onto front cover, top edge regilt. Some foxing to Vol. I, marginal browning to Vol. II. Owners' names to endpapers. A very good, but non-uniform set.