RICHARDSON, John (1787-1865) & William SWAINSON (1789-1855). Fauna Boreali-Americana; or the Zoology of the Northern Parts of British America...Part First, containing the Quadrupeds... Part Second, the Birds. l, 1829, 1831. FIRST EDITIONS.
2 volumes, comprising Parts I-II only (of 4), 4to (280 x 215 mm). Half-titles; 77 etched or engraved plates (50 with hand-coloring). (Some spotting). Vol. I: 20th-century cloth-backed boards, printed label on spine. Vol II: Original green cloth, printed label on spine (some staining and light wear). Provenance: Collector's bookplate, a few pencil marks.
FIRST EDITIONS of the bird section of Richardson and Swainson's natural history of the fur-trading regions. Richardson took part in Sir John Franklin's overland expeditions. "The influence which this work exerted cannot well be overstated... it was the unique source of inspiration of numberless writers upon the same subject, and it continues to be a standard authority" (E. Coues, American Ornithological Biography, p. 50). The two volumes not present here depict the fishes and insects of the region. Arctic Bibliography 14491; Ayer/Zimmer 520; Coues 1:50; Sabin 71026; Streeter Sale 3700; Staton & Tremaine/TPL 1454.