Paris, Société d'Éditions Géographiques, Maritimes et Coloniales, 1927. 8vo (23.8 x 15.5 cm). vii, 743 pp.; many plates, of which eight in full colour. Near contemporary half calf over marbled boards.

The rare start of an important series initiated and edited by the French explorer Jean Abel Gruvel (1870-1941), including contributions by, for instance, J. Delacour and P. Jabouille: Les gallinacés et pigeons de l'Annam (93 pp.; eight fine plates of which seven in full colour); Monod (ed.) on the fauna of Cameroun, including Dautzenberg's (40 pp.) work on the marine species; and Gruvel's description of Agadir (Morocco) (28 pp.; six photographic plates of scenery, including the harbour, and citadel, but also molluscs, and a folding map); large works on Indo-Chinese termites (several plates, one in full colour) and elaterid beetles, etc. Some shelf wear, otherwise a very good copy in an attractive binding. Ronsil, Bibliographie Ornithologique Française, p. 136 (Delacour and Jabouille).