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Hard Cover, 16mo, in green, vertically-striped cloth, stamped in blind to both boards with a "grolier" type frame incorporating twining floral components and celtic knot symbols, the spine stamped in faux "bands" with title blocked in gold to the second compartment, Author name to fourth, "London"at foot, and the others blind stamped with a rectangular framed scrolling pattern. Printed London, Schultze and Co.13 Poland Street. viii, 380pp. plus extensive 28pp. publisher's catalogue. First appearance in book form (and his first book) from Broderip's columns in "The New Monthly Magazine," also published by Henry Colburn. Note: This is not an illustrated edition. **CONDITION: Good. A bit of fading from oxidation to the cloth at outer edges of boards and more so to the spine, which also has an area of loss to cloth at foot, as seen. Old ink stain and some rubbing to rear board. Both hinges have been repaired. Lightly shaken around p. 191. Otherwise, pages are quite fresh, bright and clean. One old price penciled in shillings and pence to endpaper, and a small London bookstore label at gutter of rear endpaper. No foxing. Top edge a bit dusty. Now in mylar. ** In the vein of pre- (Charles) Darwinian "gentlemanly scientific enquiry," this work relies on a collation of observations and experiments, mixed with a bit of folklore, references to Shakespeare and the classics, to describe the natural world of animals mostly native to Britain. Questions, such as how birds learn their individual songs, are asked. Or, how is our own experience of music is tied to birdsong? Why is the owl such a figure of superstition in literature? The Bristol, England-born Author and naturalist WILLIAM JOHN BRODERIP, FRS, (1789-1859), had a career as a magistrate in police court, eventually retiring because of a loss of hearing. As a scientist, though, he had a robust influence, publishing a study on shells, with his famous collection eventually purchased by the British Museum. He was also an original member of the Zoological Society, as well as belonging to others, including the Linnean Society, Royal Society and Geographical Society, and contributed numerous scientific papers to their journals. From a review: "We believe we do not exaggerate in saying that since the publication of White's "Natural History of Selbourne" and the "Introduction to Eatomology" (sic) by Kirby and Spence, no work in our language is better calculated than the "Zoological Recreations" to fulfill the avowed aim of its author--to furnish a hand-book which may cherish or awaken a love for natural history--Quarterley Review." (from catalogue).REFS: BDNB. OCLC 2430811.
Ref: NATH 9467
$95.00