Beebe, William | One of the great bird books of the 20th century

Beebe, William

A Monograph of the Pheasants. London: Witherby & Co., 1918-1922

4 volumes. Folio (406 x 288 mm). Titles printed in red and black, 90 colored lithographed or collotyped plates after A. Thorburn, G.E. Lodge, H. Gronvold, L.A. Fuertes, Chas. R. Knight, H. Jones, and E. Megargee, 88 photogravure plates (many with two images) from photographs by Beebe and others, 20 distribution maps printed in red and black by Stanford's (chromolithographs and photogravures with captioned tissue-guards). Publisher's gilt-lettered maroon cloth; mildest of rubbing, closed tear to cloth at one spine end.

1 of 600 copies.

"Perhaps the greatest ornithological work of the present century, notable not only for its beauty and the wealth of information it contains, but also for the unusual grace of its prose" (Mengel).

Beebe's text is based not only upon his extensive expeditions through Asia, but also upon his study of the collections of the leading natural history museums around the world.

REFERENCE:

Anker 31; Nissen IVB 84; Zimmer, p. 49

PROVENANCE:

George Beach (bookplate)