London, Reeve, Benham, and Reeve, 1848. 4to (31.6 x 25.3 cm). Full colour frontispiece (= plate I), title page with engraved vignette, two half titles (to Part I by Strickland, and to Part II by Melville), [v], 141, [12] pp.; 17 other engraved plates numbered II-III, III*, IV, IV*, V-IX, IX*, X-XV; several text engravings. The frontispiece and plate III are finely hand-coloured; plate III* is larger, double-folded and tinted, plate IV* is tinted. Publisher's original blue embossed cloth with gilt title on the spine and a large gilt vignette on both boards. Yellow endpapers. Top edge gilt. Printed errata sheet bound in; publisher's 12 pp. catalogue bound in the rear.

A fine copy of the rare original edition, with a list of subscribers. "The interest which has always attached to that singular bird, the Dodo, having been recently much increased by the discovery of evidence which proves that each of the three islands, Mauritius, Rodriguez, and Bourbon, formerly possessed distinct species of birds of the same anomalous families, it has been thought desirable to collect the scattered facts and records, and publish a complete monograph of the present state of the Didinae, in order to remove the many erroneous statements which are current, and to restore these lost organisms to their rank in the Natural System" (from the publisher's catalogue, bound in the rear). Strickland wrote part I, on the history and external characters of the dodo, solitaire and other brevipennate birds of Mauritius, Rodriguez, and Bourbon; whereas Melville contributed with "Part II - Osteology of the Dodo and Solitaire". In the rear is a chapter containing translations of foreign texts, and a bibliography. Spine slightly sunned as usual and a bit soiled along spine edge; internally an excellent, clean copy - completely without the usual foxing and toning. Anker, 486; Nissen IVB, 900; Sitwell Fine Bird Books, p. 145; Zimmer, p. 606.