Halle, J. J. Gebauers Witwe und Joh. Jac. Gebauer, 1774. Two volumes in one. 8vo (19.3 x 11.9 cm). Title pages with engraved allegorical vignettes. I: 18, 294 pp.; four engraved plates (numbered I-IV); II: [iv], 246 pp.; six engraved plates (numbered I [twice], II, III, and IIII [twice]), of which both plates numbered I finely hand-coloured; several fine, wood-engraved head and tailpieces. Contemporary half calf over speckled boards. spine with five raised bands and tan morocco label with gilt title. Speckled edges.

Rare start of one of the earliest and rarest German natural history journals. Deals mainly with zoology. The hand-coloured butterfy and moth plates are especially attractive. Edited by the German naturalist Johann Ernst Immanuel Walch (1725-1778). Authors include, e.g., Johann Samuel Schröter, Johann Friedrich Gmelin, and Walch himself. The illustrated papers deal with, e.g., Mesozoic molluscs including ammonites, stalagmites, wasps and their anatomy, recent brachiopods and their anatomy, Lepidoptera, etc. Inscribed on the front free endpaper by the palaeontologist and malacologist Dr Jeffrey D. Stilwell. A very good, clean copy. Cat. BM(NH) Serial Titles, p. 1104; Horn-Schenkling 23029; Nissen ZBI, 4709.