Verzameling van uitlandsche en zeldzaame vogelen, benevens eenige vreemde dieren en plantgewassen: in 't engelsch naauwkeurig beschreeven en naar 't leven, met kleuren afgebeeld, door G. Edwards en M. Catesby [...]. Thans in 't nederduitsch vertaald en met aanhaalingen van andere autheuren verrykt, door M. Houttuyn, medic. doctor.

9 parts in 5 vol., folio: [4]-xvi-84, [4]-108-[2], [4]-118, [4]-56-56, [2]-90 [= 57]-[7] pp.; 473 pl. (light staining in some margins, stamps to some pl., scattered foxing, marg. tear to pl. 76 in vol. I, sm. marg. damp stains in the begin. of vol. I and the end of vol. II, otherwise very good condition).

Contemp. marbled calf, gilt roll-stamp on boards, gilt-decorated spine with raised bands, marbled edges (professional restorations to spine, turns in and joints, sm. wears, damp stain on lower board of vol. II).

First edition of the translation by Martinus Houttuyn, somewhat enlarged. Complete of the 473 beautiful plates nicely hand-coloured, with captions in German, Latin and French, showing numerous species of birds (parrots, ducks, owls, hummingbirds, kingfishers...) and also zebras, apes, porcupines, bats, fishes, etc. First published in 1749-1776 in German, under the title "Sammlung verschiedener ausländischer und seltener Vögel [...]", this work is based and translated in all essentials on George Edwards' "A natural history of birds" (1743-1751) and "Gleanings of natural history" (1758-1764) and Mark Catesby's "The natural history of Carolina", provided with copies of the plates of these works engraved by Seligmann who enriched them with flora and scenic backgrounds.
Ref. Nissen, IVB, 859.- Anker 462 (just mentioning the ed.).
Prov. Maria Victoria Edwards (stamp). - Bookshop Jacques Lechevalier, Paris (label).