Beschreibung:

PENNANT, Thomas (1726-1798)]. The British Zoology . London: J. and J. March for The Cymmrodorian Society, [1761]-1766. 2° (529 x 368mm). Title printed in red and black. 117 (of 132) hand-coloured etched plates heightened with gum arabic by Peter Mazell after Barlow, Peter Brown Charles Collins F.A. Desmoulins, George Edwards G. Haulner, and Peter Paillou and coloured by Paillou [cf. Anker], extra-illustrated with 26 original pen-and-ink and body- or watercolour drawings of birds, some heightened with gum arabic. (Scattered light spotting, light offsetting from plates onto text, a few early leaves with neatly-repaired marginal tears.) Early 19th-century red morocco gilt [rear flyleaf watermarked '1827'], the covers with broad borders of rolls alternated with triple gilt fillets, gilt Botfield arms, gilt-ruled board edges, turn-ins gilt with a foliate roll enclosed by triple gilt fillets, the spine gilt in framed compartments, lettered in one and at the foot (lower board edges paint-marked, extremities lightly rubbed, a few scuff marks), gilt edges, silk markers. FIRST EDITION. EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED WITH 26 ORIGINAL DRAWINGS. The original drawings are bound in at the correct points in the volume, and are captioned in pencil or ink thus: 'The Golden Eagle'; 'The Sea-Eagle'; 'Male Sparrow Hawk'; 'Common White Owl'; 'The little Owl'; 'The Raven'; 'Jay'; 'The Jack Daw'; 'Cuckoo'; 'The Quail'; 'Fieldfare Redwing'; 'The Blackbird'; 'The Purre The Ring-Ousel'; 'The Green Sandpiper The Water-Ousel'; 'The Stare, or Starling'; 'The Swift The lesser Tern'; 'White Wagtail Grey Wagtail Cock + Hen Sparrow Yellow Wagtail'; 'Great White Heron'; 'The Crane'; 'The Curlew'; 'The Whimbrel'; 'The Woodcock'; 'The Snipe The Jack-Snipe'; 'The Water-Rail'; 'The Great Auk, or Penguin'; and 'The Shoveler'. 13 of the drawings bear watermarks dated '1818', and they appear to be copies of the original plates, with some lettered (as the plates are) to indicate the correct sequence. The British Zoology was originally issued with 107 plates, which were supplemented by an appendix of 25 plates, bringing the total to 132 plates. The watercolours in the present copy follow the style of the plates closely, and may have been commissioned to make good lacking plates and to extend the number of species illustrated. Anker 392; BM(NH) IV, p.1543; Brunet IV, 478; Fine Bird Books (1990) p.131; Lowndes p.1823; Mullens and Swann pp.465-466; Nissen IVB 710; Wood p.515; Zimmer pp.487-488.