Les Oiseaux de la Chine.

fine colour plates

First edition. 'Probably the most important systematic monograph yet written on birds of China. The work treats of 807 species, illustrated by a collection of fine coloured plates that greatly assist a study of the subject' (Wood, p. 311).

French missionary Father Armand David (1826-1900) arrived in Beijing in 1862 and 'immediately began collecting plants and animals in China to send back to Paris. He also sent back travel narratives that were published serially in the Nouvelles archives du museum d'histoire naturelle. His most famous discovery (for the West) was the Giant Panda, a dead specimen of which David encountered in 1869. He shipped the skin to Paris, where it was named and visually reconstructed for the first time in Europe'. He was also responsible for introducing to Europe more than fifty species of rhododendron and the deer now known as Pére David's deer (Ashworth, Linda Hall Library, September 17, 2017).

First edition; 2 volumes, 8vo (25 x 17 cm); 124 engraved plates by and after Arnoul, with fine hand-colouring, some heightened with gum arabic, mounted on stubs,light, scattered spotting, some of the glassine plate protectors lacking; contemporary burgundy half morocco, 5 raised bands, titles to spines gilt, marbled sides and endpapers, top edges gilt, others untrimmed, original blue wrappers bound in to text volume, spines a little faded, corners knocked and worn, extremities lightly rubbed, a little light spotting, a very good set; 573pp.

Anker, 113; Nissen IVB, 221; Wood, p.311.