Moskva, Akademii NAUK SSSR, 1963. Large 8vo (26.0 x 17.1 cm). 208 pp.; numerous text illustrations. Publisher's green cloth. Front board blind-stamped, and with gilt title; spine with gilt title. Printed errata slip bound in.

A rare treatise on toxic animals, including snakes, written by the prolific Russian zoologist and toxicologist Eugene Nikanorovitch Pavlovsky (1884-1965) and many coworkers. In 1959, Pavlovsky was awarded the Darwin-Wallace medal of the Linnean Society. Most papers contain a summary in German. Inscribed (rather phonetically) by the author on the front free endpaper recto, to "Dr. Findly E. Russel", and dated 4.IX.1963. Findlay Ewing Russell (1919-2011) was an American physician and toxicologist, specialized in snake and spider venoms. On the same leaf a mall printed label with bookseller's name and month of purchase in the lower outer margin. Ex-libris of former owner pasted to inner front board. A unique copy of a seldom-seen work.