Beneden, E. [J. L. M.] and [F. L.] P. Gervais
Ostéographie des cétacés vivants et fossiles comprenant la description et l'iconographie du squelette et du système dentaire de ces animaux ainsi que des documents relatifs a leur histoire naturelle.
Paris, Arthus Bertrand, 1868-1879. Folio (55.5 x 36.2 cm). 67 lithographed plates on 64 sheets, of which three double-sized. Original printed wrappers.
A very rare FINE copy of the most impessive 19th-century work on the natural history of whales and dolphins. The large plates are truly striking, both in size and detail. Written by the Belgian zoologist and palaeontologist Pierre-Joseph van Beneden (1809-1894), leading authority on whales and their anatomy during the second half of the 19th century, and the French zoologist François Louis Paul Gervais (1816-1879). Both extant and fossil whales and dolphins are included. The mammals are shown to be quite diverse and numerous, also during the Tertiary, and the Neogene in particular, and the state of preservation is often very good indeed. A text part in quarto format was published, but is not included. Some skilful repairs to the wrappers, some minimal, very light foxing to a few plates; otherwise an unusually fine, clean and unmarked copy. Cat. BM(NH) p. 134; Nissen ZBI, 312.
