ORNITHOLOGY

Receipt, part printed, part MS., 21 x 13cm, fold marks, good condition. A "Mr Cornish" has purchased Parts 17 & 18 of the Birds of Great Britain. Note; "The Birds of Great Britain" (1862–73).

The three letters total 5pp., 8vo. On aged and damp-stained paper. In the first letter (21 May 1902) Ducie writes that he has that morning received Mellersh's book ('A Treatise on the Birds of Gloucestershire', 1902), and that he is 'delighted with it. Whether it would find a "public" if offered in a cheaper form, I cannot say. It is too scientific for the crowd. | I note only one error. You make out that I shot a Squacco Heron. I bought it or had it given to me from Berkeley'.

Two pages, 12mo, bifolium (second leaf blank), good condition. "I very much regret that I am not well enough to be present at the unveiling of the statue of Huxley tomorrow, which I had been looking forward to see. I got a chill last Saturday when it was so hot & have had an abscess in the ear, which has just released itself, but it would not do to go out in the cold air [...]"

1p., 4to. In fair condition, aged and lightly-creased. The letterhead includes fourteen endorsements from newspapers in the left-hand margin, with Pike described as 'Author of the Birdland Books. | 100,000 copies sold.' Although bearing a genuine signature, the letter may be a circular. Pike is enclosing 'a copy of my Lecture Prospectus for next season' (not present). He goes on to discuss his 'new Lecture entitled: - "BIRDLAND CAMEOS"', before concluding: 'If your Society should decide to engage me, I can promise them a thoroughly interesting evening.'

8pp., 12mo. On two bifoliums. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. With envelope, with Penny Red stamp and circular postmark in black ink ('B | LERWICK | 5 NO | 80'), addressed to 'The Revd. | C. W. Shepherd | Trosley Rectory | N Maidstone | Kent | England'. Balston and his companion on the trip Edward Bartlett would go on to collaborate with Shepherd on the 1907 publication 'Notes on the Birds of Kent'. The letter begins: 'Dear Shepherd | Here we are in the Arctic Regions, & it being Sunday & snowing fast, are not able to get out, so I sit down to spin you a yarn.

All 4to, with the letters totalling 22 pp, and the list of 'Funghi, East Kent' of 15 pp. All items clear and complete. Three leaves with light staining (one with short closed tear), otherwise all in good condition, on aged paper. All three in envelopes (lacking stamps), addressed by Clifton and with his seal in red wax. ONE. 4 October 1889. 4to, 12 pp. Begins: 'It seems a long time since we had a ramble on the Cuxton and Ralling hills from Cobham, and when I killed a viper; and I have been much amused at the apparent incredulity of a brother B.O.U. at the Dumpton Park rarities!

The extract from Willughby's 1678 comprise three folio leaves paginated 179-184, containing the text of 'CHAP. XIV. | Of Doves or Pigeons in general.'; with plates xxxiii, xxxiv, xxxv and xxxvi, with representations of twenty doves or pigeons. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Loosely inserted in a twentieth-century folder, half bound in brown marbled boards with green cloth corners and spine. Label on front ('Francis Willoughby | Ornithology 1678 | Pigeon Excerpt with Plates'.

12mo, 11 pp. Stitched and unbound. First and last leaves loose, otherwise in fair condition, on lightly-aged paper with grubby title. The section of 'Eggs of the Farne Islands' consists of fifteen entries on pp.8-9, from '1. Eider or St. Cuthbert's Duck (Somateria mollissima)' to '15.

4to, 1 p. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged and worn paper. With 1 cm vertical closed tear at foot of each leaf. Addressed, with postmarks, on the reverse of the second leaf, which is docketed '31. July 1840. | Gurney & Co. that Mrs E. Lofty resides at Hethersett near Norwich -'. Reads 'Respected friends | We believe that the lady for whose address you enquire in yr favor of the 29th Inst resides at Hethersett near this city'. Gurney joined the family business at the age of seventeen.

8vo: 2 pp. The 'idea is worth Consideration', but Blackwood 'can hardly see how any large sale cann be depended upon, so as to repay the expense of printing advertising &c.' Asks that Morris send him 'one sermon, to indicate style, length & to estimate cost'. Asks what size of paper should be used. Notices that Morris's works are 'principally on natural history'. Likes the idea of 'the <?> natural history', and 'will take an early opportunity of looking at it'. This notable London publisher is a surprising omission from BBTI.

Pp.p. xv, 155, concluding with 16-page publisher's catalogue, original green cloth gilt (motif of the bird on front cover), illustrated,some wear, corners bumped as well as the top and bottom of spine, sporadic use of pencil lines in margin, but an attractive book. Compliments of the publisher on title (blind stamp).

44 pages. Folio. Unbound. In poor condition: first and last leaf fraying, torn and separated. An important document: a landmark in the history of environmentalism. The committee members were the Hon. E. S. Montagu (Under Secretary of State for India), Lord Lucas (Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture), Frank Elliott of the Home Office, E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Hugh S. Gladstone and the appropriately-named W. Eagle Clarke.

One page, 8vo, page one of bifolium, good condition, marked "answered". "My dear Mr Grönwold I took the clutch of Savi's Warbler's eggs - one of which you sketched - at the Veleneze Lake, Hungary on May 29 1899 " amd the Willow Warbler's here at Worplesdon, Surrey on May 20th 1902 " Hoping that this information is what you require. . . .. | F.C. Selous".

Three pages, 12mo. On aged and lightly spotted paper, with loss at head of crease (not affecting text) resulting from removal from spike. Letter of introduction for 'Mr Davison', [William Davison, discoverer of the Andaman Pale Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela davisoni)] 'who is on a visit to explore for its birds. He has been working with Mr. A. O.?>