The Natural History of the British Surface-Feeding Ducks

Description:

First edition - large paper edition limited to only 600 copies (this copy No. 145). An account, based on personal observations, of the habits and modes of life of the forms of birds treated in the book and of the circumstances connected with their periodical change of plumage. The figures of birds are mostly drawn from the specimens in the author's collection; a few rare forms are figures from specimens in the collection of Walter Rothschild, while Heatley Noble's collection was used for the eggs and young birds in down.

The illustrations were executed from drawings by the author or from photographs, with the exception of the water-colour drawings for eight of the coloured plates made by Archibald Thorburn. The coloured plates are mostly executed in chromo-lithography by W. Greve, and a few by the three colour process by Andre & Sleigh, Bushey.

John Guille Millais (1865-1931) was British a naturalist, distinguished wildlife artist, and also wrote a two-volume biography of his father, the artist John Everett Millais (1829-1896).

Anker, 340; Nissen IVB, 635.

Condition

Large 4to (345x320mm), orig. two-tone cloth, gilt title to spine and front board, top edge gilt, some wear to extremities, wear to top of rear joint. Light foxing to endpapers. Good.