Author: Charleton, J.
Title: Onomasticon zoicon, plerorumque animalium differentias & nomina propria pluribus linguis exponens. Cui accedunt mantissa anatomica; et quaedam de variis fossilium generibus.
Description: London, Jacobus Allestry, 1668. Small 4to (19.9 x 14.9 cm). Title page, 363 pp. [xx, 309, xxxiv]; eight large, engraved plates (of which six folded); four text illustrations (one page-sized). Contemporary full calf. Spine with four raised bands; compartments with gilt floral vignettes and gilt title. All edges red. = Rare first edition of an early work on natural history classification of 'Nominal animals', written by the English natural philosopher and president of the Royal College of Physicians in London, Walter Charleton (1619-1707). It is divided into three parts. The first, large, section deals with a classification of birds. Hence it is regarded as "...the first work by an English author to add illustrations to a list of birds" (Norman). It includes the bird names in English, Latin, and Greek. The second part is a treatise on comparative anatomy of fish. The third part is a classification of fossils, minerals and precious stones. Most plates represent birds (one shows a ray). A second and third edition were published in 1669 and 1671. Boards and spine rubbed; several plates torn at the adhesion point and rather crudely repaired; stamp clumsily removed from the title page, with some small paper loss, otherwise a good, clean copy. Agassiz II, pp. 57-58; Cat. BM(NH) p. 337; Dean III, p. 228; Freeman, British Natural History Books 1495-1900. A Handlist, 686; Garrison-Morton, 292; Norman II, 362 (p. 88).

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