394 pages, map as frontispiece, foxing on the preliminary pages, 4 lithographic plates, original blue cloth titled gilt on the spine with embossed blind decoration on the slightly scuffed covers, splitting along the edges of the spine, some damage to the top corners of the last few pages which appears to be due to chewing, overall a good copy.
Inscription on the front free endpaper reads: Thomas Ayres, from his friend, The Editor.
Thomas Baine: 'On returning from an expedition to the Victoria Falls with James Chapman, in 1862, Thomas Baines stayed at the home of Charles John Andersson at Otjimbingwe, South-West Africa. Andersson was contemplating writing a bird book to be called 'Avi-fauna of South-West Africa' and invited Baines to assist in illustrating the proposed work. Baines accepted the commission and remained with Andersson from August 1863 to October 1864, painting from the many sketches he had made and from bird-skins collected on his recent expedition. Andersson died before he could complete his magnum-opus on the birdlife of South-West Africa and it was only some years later that his notes were edited and published posthumously by the celebrated British ornithologist, John Henry Gurney. Baines' illustrations were not included in the new work, no doubt due to the high cost of reproducing the many coloured and tinted plates. It was estimated that more than £4000 would be required - a considerable sum at that time.'
- Size: 8vo (230 x 150 mm)
