Catalogue of Specimens of Mammalia, &c. [...Birds, ...Fish, ... Butterflies & Moths] belonging to Southern India from the Government Central Museum, Madras

Description:

Scarce set of four Catalogues of southern Indian species of Mammals, Birds, Fish, and Butterflies and Moths from the collections of the Government Central Museum, Madras. Four pamphlets, each with individual title pages printed in blue and gold, presenting lists of species native to southern India. The set documents the collections of the Government Central Museum, Madras, compiled under the supervision of Surgeon General George Bidie CIE (1830-1913), a British physician and noted naturalist who served in the Madras Medical Service. Bidie held the position of Superintendent of the Government Central Museum, Madras, from 1872 to 1885. His tenure saw the publication of several important works on natural history, reflecting his deep involvement with the biodiversity of the region. The pamphlets are printed by the Lawrence Asylum Press, an institution with a unique history. Initially founded in the late 18th century to train orphaned boys from a military asylum, it later evolved into a government-contracted printing press for official publications. In 1871, the Government transferred responsibility for the male and female asylums to the Lawrence organization, named after R.M. Lawrence, who played a significant role in its mid-19th-century establishment. Under the supervision of William Henry Moore, the Lawrence Asylum Press produced high-quality printed works, including this significant set.

Condition

8vo, later cloth. Ex-lib: small ink stamp to title pages only. Vg.