A History of British Birds [with] A History of British Fishes with Supplement [and] A History of British Quadrupeds [and] A History of British Reptiles.

£3,750 · Offered by Shapero Rare Books

imperial octavo A handsomely bound imperial octavo set, all first editions, of Yarrell's copiously illustrated British Birds and Fishes, including the supplement to the fishes, together with Bell's Quadrupeds and Reptiles. William Yarrell (1784-1856) was a respected zoologist. 'About 1823, he began to note the occurrence and appearance of rare birds and, by 1825, was sending specimens to the artist Thomas Bewick (1753–1828), after whom he was to name a new species of swan. He also took a great interest in the contents of poultry and fish shops and markets... By 1825 he had assembled considerable natural history collections, notably one of birds' eggs (including the egg of a great auk). These collections included a great number of specimens collected by himself, for one of his strengths lay in careful dissection and preparation' (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography). 'Between 1835 and 1836 Yarrell published serially his two-volume work A History of British Fishes, which was very favourably reviewed. In this work he paid particular attention to species that were a source of food, and he would often eat the specimens he collected to test whether they might be added to those known to be fit for the table... In 1843 Van Voorst published Yarrell's second book, The History of British Birds, in three volumes... These two histories were the prototype of a series of books by other writers, mostly dealing with invertebrates, published by Van Voorst' (ODNB). Thomas Bell (1792-1880) w

• Binding: Hardcover

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