Coloured Illustrations of the Eggs of British Birds. Vol. I-II

Description:

Second edition. Plates are numbered I-CXXXI, XII*, XXV*, LXXVIII*, CI*, CXX*. An additional plate is called for by Nissen (XXXVII*), but is not present in this copy. William Chapman Hewitson (1806 -1878), was a land-surveyor, employed on the London and Birmingham Railway. On inheriting a large fortune, he left work and dedicated himself to the study of natural history, collecting Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and bird’s eggs. He published a number of important works and also became an accomplished illustrator. In the preface of this work, illustrated with lithographic plates, Hewitson acknowledges the ‘care and accuracy’ with which ‘Mr. J.[Joseph] Standish has performed his part’- hand colouring the work.

Nissen IVB, 442.

Condition

2 vols, 8vo, cont. calf, gilt + blind ruled borders, gilt rules, raised bands + leather title-pieces to spines, gilt tooled inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, aeg. Spines rubbed and scuffed. Foxing to endpapers + half-titles; text and plates clean. A very attractive set.