WILSON, Alexander & BONAPARTE, Charles — AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY

London. Whittaker, Treacher, & Arnot. First Edition. Three octavo (5-1/4" x 8-1/2") volumes bound in dark green half morocco leather and cloth with matching morocco corners, very slightly trimmed down from the original size when rebound about 75 years ago. The first and best of the octavo editions. Illustrated with an engraved portrait frontispiece of Wilson in his shooting costume and 97 fine hand-colored plates. Wood (page 630) notes that the text is a reprint of Wilson's original text including the later notes by Jardine as well as a reprint of the first three volumes (all then published) of Bonaparte's AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. The original plates of both authors were re-engraved by Lizars on a smaller scale on glazed drawing paper. Wood also notes that the backgrounds of the plates were left uncolored, and that is the case here. The plates in this copy are exceptionally clean, bright, and unfoxed.. Light offsetting to the text opposing the plates due to a lack of tissue guards; library blindstamp to title pages. Mild rubbing to joints, but the bindings are tight with no cracking. All in all, a Fine, clean set of this important work