ANGOLA AND THE RIVER CONGO

First edition: 2 volumes.Vol 1 viii, 305; vol 2 iv, 340.folding map as frontispiece in volume 1, 16 black and white full page illustrations from sketches and photographs, original green cloth titled gilt on the spines, uncut edges, book plates on the front end papers in both volumes, a good set.

Joachim John Monteiro (also known as Jose Maria Correa Monteiro) 1833 -1878 was a Portuguese colonial official and naturalist. He was born in London, trained as a mining engineer at the Royal School of Mines in that city, and also studied at the College of Chemistry. His wife, Rose Monteiro, shared his interests in natural history. In 1858 he went to Angola, where he spent most of his time during the next 18 years. At first he worked the copper deposits at Bembe, in north-eastern Angola. While there he found that the fibres of Adansonia digitata (the Baobab) were suitable for making paper and after returning to the coast at Ambriz in 1865 spent years in exploiting this discovery. While exploring various regionsof Angola he collected plants, birds, some mammals and other natural history specimens and distinguished himself through his remarkable observations on animal life, published in his book Angola and the River Congo (London, 1875, 2 vols). Monteiro's Hornbill, Tockus monteiri, was named after him in 1865, as were several other species of birds and plants. http://www.s2a3.org.za/bio/Biograph_final.php?serial=3327