Paris, privately published, 1840. Large 4to (34.5 x 27.4 cm). 98 pp.; 18 lithographed plates. 19th-century blind half cloth over blue boards. Original printed front and rear wrappers mounted.

A rare and rather early work by the famous French zoologist, palaeontologist and explorer Alcide Charles Victor Dessalines d'Orbigny (1802-1857). Pages 97-98 are in an old hand, not printed, neither is there a title page. According to Nissen the work was finished in 1858, thus after the death of the author, when, indeed, the last two pages and the title page were issued. The manuscript text leaf, although in an old hand, was inserted after binding. Tiny round stamp underneath the first page, probably from a former gymnasium school. Text leaves a bit spotted, mainly in the margins; Plates 16-17 rather spotted, the other plates much less so and usually clean, except a few with a small, semi-circular stain in the top margin. In all a good copy of this important work. Nissen ZBI, 3018.