The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs.

Second edition of one of Darwin's earliest books, originally published as the first part of The Geology of the Voyage of the Beagle in 1842 and here 'extensively revised and largely rewritten in the light of the findings of Dana and of Jukes' (Freeman p. 57). Uncommon in the publisher's cloth.

During the course of the voyage of the Beagle, 'Darwin's geological achievements mounted up. Using Charles Lyell's radical new Principles of Geology (1830–33) as a guide, he grew bold in interpreting the earth's crust by causes now in operation. (The first volume was a gift from FitzRoy, the other two reached him during the voyage.) He was captivated by Lyell's grand theoretical scheme - "when seeing a thing never seen by Lyell, one yet saw it partially through his eyes" (Correspondence, 3.55) - and confirmed many of Lyell's observations with careful fieldwork. On other points Darwin expanded innovatively, especially in understanding the piecemeal formation of the Andes and the origin of coral reefs on sinking mountain rims. There was an immediacy to it all... As he trekked through the Portillo and Uspallata passes of the Andes, the coloured rocks seemed almost like a geological diagram, and in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands he waded over the reefs to confirm his theory of the formation of coral atolls. His geology was dynamic, with continents slowly rising and sea basins sinking, and it formed the basis of all his later views. He endorsed Lyell's belief in an earth gradually shaped over countless ages: time enough - as he later grasped - for evolution by natural selection to occur' (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).

Second edition; 8vo; 3 folding maps of which 2 are hand-coloured, contemporary ownership signature to the title, two short closed tears to the frontispiece map, light spotting to the edges of the text block, maps, part of the title, and occasionally the contents; original green cloth, titles to spine gilt, binding rubbed, bumped, and a little marked with some loss of size and splits at the ends of the spine, hinges cracked, a very good copy; 278pp.

Freeman 275.