Old and Rare Books - Antiquariaat Junk

An interesting collection of of the original copper engraved blocks (of 98), all well
preserved, of this important treatise on the fishes of Africa. All copper engravings are
mounted on oakwood and have the volume number and plate number inscribed at the
back. Boulenger's publication is the first major work on the fresh water fishes of Africa
and together with a large collection of the original blocks, serving for the illustrations, this
represents a unique occasion for any naturalist studying the ichthyological fauna of Africa.
"The past decade has been productive of an enormous increase in our knowledge of
the Fresh-water Fishes of Africa. The explorations of the Congo and the Nile, undertaken
at considerable expense... and of the great lakes of Central Africa, initiated in this country
have resulted in the discovery and description of an unexpectedly large number of generic
and specific forms, types of most of which are deposited in the Natural History Museum"
(From the Introduction). George Albert Boulenger ( 8 8- 9 7) was a Belgian-British
zoologist who worked at the British Museum. He was famous for his monographs on
amphibians, lizards and other reptiles and fishes as well as his monographs on the fishes
of Africa. "Boulenger's contemporaries have noted his incredible memory for specimens,
species descriptions, and for the associated literature, which was the key to the great speed
at which he worked. He could read six languages well and converse in most of them, and
wrote with equal facility, but his manuscripts were never typed and went straight to the
typesetter in longhand. Boulenger was a tireless worker with strict self discipline, and he
also had great charm: a distinguished figure in the London scientific establishment and a
proper Victorian gentleman" (Adler p. ).
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[ 2] BUFFON, G.L.L. COMTE DE. Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux.
Paris, Imprimerie Royale, 77 - 786. 0 volumes. Imperial folio ( x
2 mm). With 97 handcoloured engraved plates, drawn and engraved
by F.N. Martinet under supervision of E.L. Daubenton. Contemporary
mottled calf, sides with gilt borders, richly gilt ornamented spines in 7
compartments with red and green gilt lettered labels, inner dentelles, gilt
edges. € .000
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