New York, NY, H. Baillière, 1858. 8vo (21.5 x 13.8 cm). 252 pp.; 73 fine lithographed plates. Contemporary half calf over marbled boards, red and black morocco labels with gilt title on spine. Four pp. Baillière's "works on conchology and geology" (late 1858) bound in the rear.

This is a compilation of all the works of America's greatest malacologist, Thomas Say (1787-1834) on the malacology of the United States. It includes his magnum opus, American Conchology, and also various other papers, often published in quite ephemeral journals and newspapers, or, as William Binney put it in 1856: "I ...now publish... the scattered and generally inaccessible writings of Mr. Say" (p. 3). This inaccessibility has, of course, become worse over the years. A complete list of Say's writings is included, as is some unpublished material. Binney included two prefaces, showing that the work was expanded after initially being restricted to the terrestrial species. The Baillière catalogue has a very interesting list of titles for, in retrospect, stunning prices. This work is much rarer than John Le Conte's 1859 The complete writings of Thomas Say, on the entomology of the United States. Pictorial, palaeontological bookplate of Jeffrey Darl Stilwell mounted on the front pastedown. A few skilful repairs; pp. 1-44 on slightly shorter paper. Endpapers toned; old cancellation stamp on front free endpaper recto, otherwise a very good, clean, attractively bound copy of this rare work. Caprotti II, p. 55 [219]; Nissen ZBI, 3615.