Beschreibung:

Ornithological Biography, or an account of the habits of the Birds of the United States of America; accompanied by descriptions of the objects represented in the work entitled The Birds of America.
Edinburgh: [Neil & Co. for] Adam Black; London: R. Havell, Jun., Longman, Rees, Brown and Green, and others, 1831-1849 [i.e. 1839]. 5 volumes. 8vo (270 x 170 mm.). Approximately 140 wood-engravings, and the 15-page prospectus bound at end of vol. 1 (the Fifth edition, Fries’s version E, published in 1831 upon completion of the first 20 numbers [the first 100 plates] and with the names of 180 subscribers. Original plum muslin over boards, gilt-lettered morocco spine labels to vols. 1-3, original printed paper spine labels to vols. 4 and 5, uncut and partially unopened. Condition : Vol. 1 rebacked with backstrip laid down, spines and corners worn, inner joints cracked, slight marginal dampstaining to vol. 5, some foxing. Provenance : Weston Hall bookplates of the Earl of Bradford, subscriber. “Castle Bromwich” ink inscription on upper cover of vol. 1. first edition . Ornithological Biography is the text to accompany The Birds of America . It was published separately to avoid British copyright law which would have required Audubon to deposit a copy of the complete set of the engravings in nine libraries in the United Kingdom. The letter press was supplied gratis to subscribers. Ayer/Zimmer 20; Copenhagen/Anker 18; Yale/Ripley 13. See Fries, Appendix F, pp. 385-389).