Jena, Gustav Fischer, 1914. 4to (34.5 x 26.0 cm). Title page to the part, 148 pp. [numbered 405-552], title page to the complete 18th volume (bound in rear); 39 text illustrations, 33 chromolithographed plates [numbered 63-95 (of which several double-sized), and their explanatory text leaves. Original quarter black cloth over printed, orange boards and matching original orange spine cover. Printed endpapers.

This is a beautifully illustrated part of Volume 18 of the Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse and one of the first systematical monographs on Cephalopoda with all the fine plates of octopuses and related cephalopods, including the description of new, sometimes bizarre, species. Written by the German marine zoologist and malacologist Carl Chun (1852-1914), who initiated the Atlantic Plankton-Expedition der Humboldt-Stiftung (1889), and subsequently initiated and led the "Valdivia" expedition. The front board bears the year 1915, however, it is internally dated "Marz 1914". This original German edition is very rare. A much later English edition has inferior plates. Uncut. The original "Gustav Fischer orange" binding slightly soiled; text and plates quite clean, unmarked, and overall in an excellent state. Nissen ZBI 883, 4625.