London, Taylor and Francis, 1884. Thick 8vo (22.2 x 14.1 x 4.8 cm). xxv, 684 pp. 54 lithographed plates of which eight double-sized and two partly coloured. Original gilt-titled, embossed cloth.

Important contribution to the zoology and people of the Pacific and Indian Ocean islands. The "Alert" voyage was quite successful in obtaining new and little known animals which were swiftly described by renowned experts in the various fields of zoology. Contains: a summary of the voyage by R.W. Coppinger; Mammalia by O. Thomas (this section describes and illustrates skulls of Torres Straits and Banks Islanders with peculiar ornamentation); Aves by Sharpe; reptiles, batrachians and Pisces by Guenther, molluscs in two parts, by E. A. Smith (83, 22 pp., 4, 1 plates); Echinodermata by Bell, crustaceans by Miers (many plates show crabs and shrimps); Coleoptera by Waterhouse, Lepidoptera by Butler; Alcyonaria and sponges by Ridley. With 54 nice plates containing the illustrations of many new and little known species. Endpapers a bit spotted, text and plates mostly clean. No signs of previous ownership. In all a very good copy of this scarce work which is usually found with library marks, but here in a near perfect, clean condition. Horn-Schenkling II(3), p. 397; Nissen ZBI, 4755.