Lot 42: 

SIR RICHARD OWEN (1804-1892)
Memoir of the Dodo (Didus ineptus LINN.) with an historical introduction by the late William John Broderip. London: Taylor & Francis, 1866. 4° (318 x 244mm). 12 lithographic plates, including two hand-coloured and one large folding, with letterpress acknowledgment slip pasted to verso of dedication. (First gathering loose, very light spotting to folding plate, this with 20mm closed tear to upper edge at gutter.) Original green decorative cloth, spine lettered in gilt (boards slightly discoloured). Provenance: Sir Walter Buller, with author's presentation inscription to second front free endpaper.

AUTHOR'S PRESENTATION COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION TO SIR WALTER BULLER, pre-eminent naturalist in the field of New Zealand ornithology. A fine association copy of this rare work, which consists of an historical survey of what was known about the dodo (largely written by Broderip), followed by a description of a series of bones discovered on Mauritius in 1865. The hand-coloured plates give an impression of the fully-fledged Dodo in its natural setting, whilst the large folding plate shows the complete skeleton. Nissen IVB, 703; Wood p.509.