Edward Donovan | The Natural History of British Quadrupeds. London, 1820, 3 volumes

Edward Donovan

The Natural History of British Quadrupeds. London: for the author, 1820

FIRST EDITION, 8vo (146 x 149mm.), 72 hand-coloured engraved plates, original boards, preserved in brown morocco collector's clamshell box, spine gilt, occasional light spotting, slight wear and marks to boards

Edward Donovan was a prolific naturalist whose works on entomology established his reputation. He was an avid collector of natural history specimens, eventually opening a museum to house and exhibit his examples of birds, mammals, reptiles, fish and botanical specimens. This work intended to present all the known quadrupeds in the British Isles, both wild and domesticated, in the Linnean manner. Donovan fell on financial hard times and was forced to sell his natural history collection in 1818, which was the source of much of the content in his publications. He died penniless in 1837.

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