London, Marcus Ward, 1881. Small 4to (21.9 x 16.7 cm). Title page, 259 pp.; eight chromolithographed plates depicting fishes and flowers from Tasmania, numerous text engravings. Original green, black and gilt decorated pictorial cloth. Gilded, patterned endpapers. All edges gilt.

A well-illustrated work on nature and daily life of European settlers in Tasmania, with notes and illustrations on the wildlife, for instance the Tasmanian wolf: "there is another charming fellow which all the people here call the Tiger, but as a tiger is like a great cat, and this beast is much like a dog, you will see how foolish such a name is. I believe naturalists call it the dog-faced opossum, and that is not much better...", this is followed by a firsthand report on its behaviour and occurrence. The colour plates are very beautiful. Louisa Anne Meredith, née Twamley (1812-1895) was a British (later Australian - Tasmanian) poet and painter. The second edition is thought to be identical to the first. Gilt on binding a bit abraded, crease to the front board lower outer corner and small chip to top rear edge; lower half of the inner joint weak but holding, small dent in the top rear board, front free endpaper folded, otherwise a very good, clean copy.