The natural history of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants : particularly, the forest-trees, shrubs, and other plants, not hitherto described, or very incorrectly figured by authors : together with their descriptions in English and French : to which, are added observations on the air, soil, and waters : with remarks upon agriculture, grain, pulse, roots, &c. : to the whole, is prefixed a new and correct map of the countries treated of by Mark Catesby = Histoire naturelle de la Caroline, la Floride, & les Isles Bahama : contenant les desseins des oiseaux, animaux, poissons, serpents, insectes, & plantes, et en particulier, des arbres des forets, arbrisseaux, & autres plantes, qui n'ont point été decrits, jusques à present par les auteurs, ou peu exactement dessinés : avec leur descriptions en françois & en anglois : à quoi on a adjouté, des observations sur l'air, le sol, & les eaux, avec des remarques sur l'agriculture, les grains, les legumes, les racines, &c. : le tout est precedé d'une carte nouvelle & exacte des païs dont il s'agist / par Marc Catesby

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The natural history of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants : particularly, the forest-trees, shrubs, and other plants, not hitherto described, or very incorrectly figured by authors : together with their descriptions in English and French : to which, are added observations on the air, soil, and waters : with remarks upon agriculture, grain, pulse, roots, &c. : to the whole, is prefixed a new and correct map of the countries treated of by Mark Catesby = Histoire naturelle de la Caroline, la Floride, & les Isles Bahama : contenant les desseins des oiseaux, animaux, poissons, serpents, insectes, & plantes, et en particulier, des arbres des forets, arbrisseaux, & autres plantes, qui n'ont point été decrits, jusques à present par les auteurs, ou peu exactement dessinés : avec leur descriptions en françois & en anglois : à quoi on a adjouté, des observations sur l'air, le sol, & les eaux, avec des remarques sur l'agriculture, les grains, les legumes, les racines, &c. : le tout est precedé d'une carte nouvelle & exacte des païs dont il s'agist / par Marc Catesby

Catesby, Mark, 1683-1749. author

The natural history of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants : particularly, the forest-trees, shrubs, and other plants, not hitherto described, or very incorrectly figured by authors : together with their descriptions in English and French : to which, are added observations on the air, soil, and waters : with remarks upon agriculture, grain, pulse, roots, &c. : to the whole, is prefixed a new and correct map of the countries treated of by Mark Catesby = Histoire naturelle de la Caroline, la Floride, & les Isles Bahama : contenant les desseins des oiseaux, animaux, poissons, serpents, insectes, & plantes, et en particulier, des arbres des forets, arbrisseaux, & autres plantes, qui n'ont point été decrits, jusques à present par les auteurs, ou peu exactement dessinés : avec leur descriptions en françois & en anglois : à quoi on a adjouté, des observations sur l'air, le sol, & les eaux, avec des remarques sur l'agriculture, les grains, les legumes, les racines, &c. : le tout est precedé d'une carte nouvelle & exacte des païs dont il s'agist / par Marc Catesby

London Printed at the expence of the author, and sold by W. Innys and R. Manby, at the West End of St. Paul's, by Mr. Hauksbee, at the Royal Society House, and by the author, at Mr. Bacon's in Hoxton MDCCXXXI-MDCCXLIII [that is, 1729-1747]

2 volumes, 220, [2] leaves of plates in various foliations chiefly color illustrations, color map 51 cm (folio)

"A list of the encouragers [that is, subscribers] of this work"--Leaf inserted in volume 1, between pages iv and v

"An account of Carolina and the Bahama Islands. Relation de la Caroline, et des Isles de Bahama": volume 1, pages i-xliv

Head- and tail-pieces; initials

Pagination: volume 1: i-iv, [2], v-xii, xliv, 100 pages, [2], 100 leaves of plates (the map is printed on folded double leaves, tipped in on a stub); volume 2: 100 pages, [100] leaves of plates; appendix (bound at end of volume 2): 20 pages, 20 plates; [8] pages (=indexes)

The first edition exists in several different typesettings, since some sections were reset and printed for additional subscribers, and minor typographical errors were corrected. The typesetting of the last line of French text on page 9 is diagnostic for identifying the version of an individual copy (possible endings include: "ver."; "l'hiver."; or "d'un grand usage.")

The first twenty pages of descriptive text in volume 2 are misnumbered as 121-140. In most copies, these erroneous page numbers were corrected at the time of publication with lead white paint (usually now oxidized to a silvery gray or reddish stain); the number for page 20 has also been corrected in handwritten ink

The indexes (on 7 unnumbered pages, with verso of the final page blank) are generally bound in volume 2 following the Appendix

The title pages are printed in red and black

The word "prefixed" in the subtitle of volume 1 was originally printed as "perfixed," with the corrected spelling of the first three letters appearing on a printed label mounted on the title page

Volume 1 is dedicated to Queen Caroline; volume 2 is dedicated to the Princess of Wales, Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg

Work originally issued in 11 parts, each including 20 plates (volume 1 issued in parts 1-5, between 1729-1732; volume 2 issued in parts 6-10, between 1734-1743; and the Appendix, issued in 1747). The title page for volume 1 is dated 1731, and the title page for volume 2 is dated 1743. Catesby is on record as having presented the completed Appendix to the Royal Society on 2 July 1747 (Royal Society journal book, volume 20, page 307)

Also available online

Bibliography Note:

Includes bibliographical references and indexes

Text in English and French in parallel columns

Cited/Indexed in:

English short title catalogue T147031

Nissen, C. Zoologische Buchillustration, Bd. 1, no. 842

The important ornithological library formed by the late Dr. Evan Morton Evans [for sale no. 1631, on 6-7 December 1955] (New York: Parke-Bernet Galleries, 1955), item no. 154

SCNHRB has two copies

SCNHRB copy 1 (volume 1, 39088016711673; volume 2, 39088016711715) has armorial bookplate: Sir John Abdy, Bart. of Albyns in Essex. The arms of Cromwell Mortimer, secretary of the Royal Society and an original subscriber, are stamped in gold on the covers (the arms were identified by Philip Oldfield of the University of Toronto). There is an old shelfmark from an unidentified collection handwritten in ink on the front free endpaper: 1 N. 29

SCNHRB copy 1 has a contemporary gilt- and blind-tooled full leather binding with raised bands, marbled endpapers, and all edges gilt; re-backed. Both volumes are housed in later brown cloth-covered boxes with gilt-tooled black leather spine labels, and snap closures at the fore-edges. The box for volume 1 is signed: Bound by James MacDonald Co., New York City

SCNHRB copy 1 is believed to have been donated to the Smithsonian by Marcia Brady Tucker, although the copy lacks the usual provenance markings from her private library. A copy of Catesby's Natural history of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands appears on a list of items donated by Mrs. Carll Tucker to the Smithsonian Institution Libraries

SCNHRB copy 1 of volume 1 has a leaf inserted following the dedication, with mounted ephemera related to the publication. On the recto side is the printed prospectus ("Proposals, for printing an essay towards a natural history of Florida, Carolina and the Bahama Islands ..."); and on the verso side there are two items: 1. a printed "Advertisement" ("The part now publish'd ... concludes 200 plates ..."); 2. a printed "Note" concerning binding the edition ("There being a frontice-piece, preface, and maps of the country's, to be added at the conclusion of the work. It is desired, not to bind up any of the sets, 'till the whole are finished"). A fronticepiece was never actually issued for the edition, although some copies have had a plate moved from the standard sequence to serve as a fronticepiece

SCNHRB copy 1 of volume 1 has contemporary hand-coloring on the headpiece of page i of the Account of Carolina and the Bahama Islands

SCNHRB copy 1 of volume 1 has some contemporary corrections, including handwritten annotations on pages 54, 90, and 91; and two printed correction slips pasted on page 37, apparently as issued, changing the botanical headings in the description of the plates

SCNHRB copy 2 has volume 1, only (39088016711798)

SCNHRB copy 2 of volume 1 has a modern brown artificial leather library binding with blind-ruled covers, raised bands, and gilt-tooled spine

SCNHRB copy 2 of volume 1 has plate 25 bound in at the front of the volume as a frontispiece

SCNHRB copy 2 of volume 1 has the autograph of former owners on the title page: Jas. Tomlyn; J.H. Riley, Falls Church, Va. With stamp on verso of title page: Smithsonian Institution National Museum, Aug. 16, 1935; accession no.: 299283

SCNHRB copy 2 of volume 1 is imperfect: the list of subscribers, the map, and "An account of Carolina, and the Bahama Islands" (pages i-xliv, signatures A-L2) are wanting

Natural history -- Pre-Linnean works.

Natural history -- Bahamas -- Pictorial works

Natural history -- Bahamas -- Pre-Linnean works

Natural history -- Florida -- Pictorial works

Natural history -- Florida -- Pre-Linnean works

Natural history -- North Carolina -- Pictorial works

Natural history -- North Carolina -- Pre-Linnean works

Natural history -- South Carolina -- Pictorial works

Natural history -- South Carolina -- Pre-Linnean works

Natural History.

Natural history.

North Carolina.

South Carolina.

Illustrated works.

Pictorial works.

Abdy, John, Sir, 1714-1759 former owner.

Mortimer, Cromwell, -1752 former owner.

Riley, Joseph Harvey, 1873-1941 former owner.

Tomlyn, James former owner.

Tucker, Marcia Brady former owner.

James MacDonald Co. (New York, N.Y.) binder.

Royal Society (Great Britain)

Histoire naturelle de la Caroline, la Floride, & les Isles Bahama

Catalog Source No.:

Horizon Information Portal 3.24_7488

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