DRESSER, HENRY EELES. 1838-1915.
A History of the Birds of Europe. London: the author, 1871-1896.
9 volumes including index and supplement. Large 4to (323 x 252 mm). Engraved titles, list of subscribers in volume 1. 721 hand-colored lithographed plates and 2 uncolored plates after J.G. Keulemans, Joseph Wolf, E. Neale and others. Contemporary half green morocco and cloth by H.H. Porter, gilt-ruled, spine in 6 compartments with gilt decorations and titles, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt. Sunned, with green morocco fading to brown; bookplates on paste-downs, some light spotting throughout.
FIRST EDITION. Dresser's "magnificent treatise" (Wood) includes birds from "the whole of continental Europe to the Ural range, Scandinavia, Spitzbergen, the British Isles, Iceland, the Faeroes, the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Isles, a comparatively narrow strip of North Africa, reaching to the border of the desert, Asia Minor (excluding the Jordan valley, which is essentially Ethiopian), and the Caucasus" (Introduction). Originally issued in 84 parts plus the 9 part supplement. Anker 120; Nissen IVB 267; Sitwell Fine Bird Books p 92; Wood p 324; Zimmer pp 177-178.
WITH: Eggs of the Birds of Europe. London: the author, 1910. 2 volumes bound as 1. 4to (309 x 240 mm). 106 plates. Half red morocco and cloth. Minor shelfwear, browning to endpapers, minimal spotting. The text volume (Volume I) is bound after the plates. Anker 121; Nissen IVB 268; Wood 324; Zimmer 179.