Beschreibung:

SHARPE, Richard Bowdler (1847-1909). Scientific Results of the Second Yarkand Mission; based upon the collections and notes of the late Ferdinand Stoliczka, Ph.D. Aves. London: Taylor and Francis, by order of the Government of India, 1891. 4° (313 x 255mm). 24 HAND-COLOURED LITHOGRAOHIC PLATES by W. Hart J. G. Keulemans and (?)J. Smit, some printed by Hanhart, on guards. (Occasional barely perceptible spotting, slight marginal tears to one or two guards.) Later red half morocco, spine gilt in six compartments, lettered in two. FIRST EDITION of Sharpe's report on the birds collected by Dr. Stoliczka on the Second Yarkand Mission into Central Asia. Sharpe inlcudes extracts from Stoliczka's notebook, as well as from the oublished notes of Dr. Henderson (on the First Yarkand Mission) and Dr. Scully, and thus describes the results of both the Yarkand Missions. The complete report of the missions was published in 14 parts between 1878 and 1891. Plates XVI-XXIV depict birds not found on either of the Yarkand Missions: the plates had been prepared by Allan Hume, who had written an earlier report on the Stoliczka's ornithological collections while they were in India. The manuscript was stolen and sold as waste paper, and the collections travelled to England, where Sharpe was asked to describe them. Hume had generously presented his plates to the India Office, and Sharpe decided to use them "as some of them are excellent examples of Mr. Keulemann's work" (Appendix, p. 149). Zimmer p. 580; Nissen VB 861; Anker 465; Fine Bird Books p. 107.