Paris, C. L. F. Panckoucke, 1826. Elephant folio (70 x 54 cm). A fine, detailed engraving. Verso blank.

An exceptionally fine, life-sized illustration of a North African Eagle, Aquila heliaca, l'Aigle de Thèbes. Described the French naturalist Marie Jules César Lelorgne de Savigny (1777-1851), and finely and vibrantly drawn and engraved by the French natural history engraver, Louis Bouquet (1765-1814). This is a plate from a grand atlas, which in turn forms a part of a much larger - zoological, botanical, archaeological, etc. - series on the scientific results of the French Napoleonic campaign in Egypt. The author, the French zoologist Marie Jules César Lelorgne de Savigny (1777-1851), was leader of the French scientific expedition to Egypt, which was part of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte's military campaign. Savigny wrote the parts on mammals and several other groups of animals too. The bird plates show most specimens in life-size form. Uncut. With an original publisher's blindstamp in the outer margin. No other markings. A few small spots, some light creasing to the edges; otherwise very good. Nissen ZBI, 4608; Wood, p. 552; Zimmer, p. 549.