The Birds Of Africa

LEVAILLANT, F. Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux d'Afrique. 1805

Paris, Delachaussee, XIII-1805-1808. 6 volumes. Large folio (513 x 330mm). With 300 engraved plates in double state, plain and colour-printed with hand-finishing. Contemporary mottled calf, spines in 7 compartments with gilt bird ornaments and gilt lettered labels, sides with gilt borders, inside dentelles (old repair to hinges). The rare large folio issue with the plates in two states. The work was published is 4to and in folio, a folio edition with coloured plates only and a deluxe edition in double state. The deluxe edition has far better colouring of the plates, with extensive hand-finishing, than the ordinary editions. The excellent plates are engraved by Fissart and Peree after drawings by Reinhold, and printed by Langlois, the great master of colour printing who supervised much of Redoute's best work. Levaillant's work on the birds of Africa is still important to-day as it described birds of the region for the first time and Levaillant is considered an important pioneer on African ornithology. Francois Levaillant (1753-1828) travelled to South Africa where he made two expeditions into the interior in 1780-1784. The first went to the Great Fish River and the second one to the Orange River. "The work, which was published in 51 parts, is Levaillant's most prominent work. It gives a comprehensive account of the birds of South Africa, based on Levaillant's personal experiences and the collections he made during his journeys in that region. The style of the text is lively, and it gives descriptions not only of birds, but also of their habits and habitats. Scientific names are not given. Althogether 284 species are dealt with, of which 71, according to the statement of the author, do not come from Africa..." (Anker 297). Levailant also included birds from the rest of Africa. Some occasional browning and spotting as is usual with this work. Provenance: Armorial bookplate of Sir Willliam Eden Bart. Fine Bird Books p. 90; Anker 297, Nissen IVB, 555.

[SW: Africa/Birds / Ornithology]

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Revised By G. R. McLachlan and R. Liversidge: Robert Birds of South Africa, South Africa The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund 1980

J. Adams and H. Gronvold Cloth Near Fine/No Jacket 4th Edition 3rd Impression 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall 0620031182 Hadrback Hardback. Green cloth with gilt lettering. The book is bound to be not only of great educational value and suitable for school use, but of interest both to the student ornithologist and to those member of the general public who would like to know more of the nature and habits of the immense variety of bird life to be seen in South Africa. Whils the text is necessarily condensed, to be confined conveniently to one volume, it covers the whole of the species and varieites to be found in South Africa south of the Cunene and Zambesi rivers, and the majority are illustrated in colour. The reader will find that the book contains the common names of all our birds in English, Afrikaans, and Eastern Bantu and Native languages, their distribution, habits, and the general characters by which they can be recognized. The system of indexing is novel, and simplifies reference both to the text and illustration of any particular species. Plates in colour by Norman C. K. Lighton and Kenneth Newman. Black and White Illustrations by J. Adams and H. Gronvold. 659 pp. (We carry a wide selection of titles in The Arts, Theology, History, Politics, Social and Physical Sciences. academic and scholarly books and Modern First Editions etc.)

[SW: Non Fiction Robert Birds South Africa]

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Chittenden, Hugh (compiler): Top Birding Spots of Southern Africa, (Halfway House: Southern Book Publishers, 1993)

Called "Top Birding Spots in Southern Africa" on the cover. 210 x 150 mm; laminated pictorial wraps; pp. xvii + (iii) + 421, incl. index; locality maps. Fine condition. The highly sought-after guide to birding hotspots in the subregion, a book that has become extremely hard to find in recent years. "Top Birding Spots in Southern Africa provides a wealth of information about 127 of the very best birdwatching places in southern Africa, compiled by 70 knowledgeable birders throughout the subregion. Valuable to novice and experienced birdwatchers alike, this book provides: Descriptions of the location, habitat and facilities of 127 top birding spots - some well known, others hitherto known only to determined bird enthusiasts; A map and directions for each location described; Notes on the special and interesting species to look out for in that location, and where they're likely to be seen; Notes on rare or out of range species recorded; Locality checklists of the most common and unusual species likely to be seen during a brief visit. The checklists indicate which species are regarded as specials, which are endemic and which near-endemic. There is space to record sightings on several visits. Wherever you may live or vacation in southern Africa, this book will guide you to the best birding in your area."

[SW: Birding. Birdwatching. Bird-watching. Southern Africa. Hotspots. Special birds. Ornithology Birds]

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Mackworth-Praed, C.W. & Grant, Capt, C.H.B. Birds of the Southern Third of Africa Vol 2 Only, Longmans 1963
Good

The set of two volumes is considered the definitive work on the subject, but this is only Vol 2. This volume includes black-and-white illustrations, maps, and attractive full page colour illustrations of birds by several artists. Original green cloth binding with gilt decoration on the front, gilt lettering to spine. Heavy book with 747 pages. Fair Hard Cover 8 1/2 Ins Wide - 11 Ins Tall

[SW: Birds, Ornithology, Mackworth-Praed, Birds of Southern Africa, Birds of the Southern Third of Africa, African Birdlife,]

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