Henry Eeles Dresser | A history of the birds in Europe, 1871 [-1882]

Henry Eeles Dresser

A history of the birds in Europe, including all the species inhabiting the Western Palaearctic Region. London: by the author, 1871-1881

FIRST EDITION, 4to (320 x 240 mm.), 8 volumes, 631 hand-coloured unnumbered lithographed plates by J.G. Keulemans, Joseph Wolf and Edward Neale, 2 uncoloured lithographed plates, contemporary green morocco, spines faded to brown

This monumental work was published in 84 parts, constituting 8 volumes, with the index volume published last in 1882, contradicting the date on the title page. A total of 736 species are dealt with, with Dresser attempting to cover all identified species across Europe, the Azores, Canary Islands and Madeira, North Africa, the Urals, Caucasus, Turkey, Syria, part of Persia and across to the Red Sea.

LITERATURE:

Anker 120; Fine Bird Books, p. 72; Nissen IVB 267; Zimmer, pp. 177-178

PROVENANCE:

Edward Richard Alston (1845-1881), zoological secretary to the Linnean Society, bookplate