Saint Louis, MO, 1933-1937. Seven volumes in one. Near square 4to (21.3 x 17.2 cm). Near contemporary green buckram with gilt title on the spine.

A very rare mimeographed publication, however with a few wrappers printed, and some attractive illustrations. Originally planned as a monthly, it soon became a quarterly. Distribution must have been low. Numbering of the parts, volumes and pages is peculiar: Volume 1 contains the first six parts, Volume 2 starts with the combined Parts 7 and 8 and ends with Part 12, but pagination is entirely continuous, up to p. 128, while the whole is alternatively dubbed "Series A". With the start of Volume 3 no. 1, a "Series B" begins, and pagination starts anew, and runs to p. 112 (the first issue lacked page numbers by mistake), but pp. 53-80 are lacking. This corresponds with Volume 3 Parts 6-8. It ends with Parts 10-12 combined, published in December 1935. Volume 5 then starts with no. 1 in Spring 1936, which seems to leave no room for a Volume 4. Again, page numbering starts anew and ultimately reaches p. 72, followed by one unnumbered page. The next issue is titled Volume 5-6, nos. 2-3 ( Summer-Autumn 1936); pagination goes to p. 36. This is followed by " Spring 1937; Volume 7(1)" with pp. 50-61, and thus a jump in pagination from 36 to 50 (on recto!). This suggests that a Winter issue is lacking. However, in the rear is a last issue, titled Winter 1937, which exactly contains the pp. 37-49, but has no volume or part number indicated. This is preceded by " Summer 1937; Vol. 7(2)", and numbered pagination from 64 (on recto) up to p. 72 (on recto) and an illustrated, unnumbered verso. From the above it seems that the Winter issue 1937 issue should precede the Spring issue, and that Volume 3 Parts 6-8 (pp. 53-80) is the only section truly lacking. We have never seen any other copy of this periodical. OCLC reports only four sets, all in American Libraries - none elsewhere, and without details about completeness. Underwood, Bibliography of North American minor natural history serials in The University of Michigan libraries, p. 6. Not in Cat. BM(NH) [Serial Titles].