CLIMATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES: Descriptive, Historical, and Tabular. SIGNED COPY WITH SIGNED AUTOGRAPH LETTER. de RUSSELL, Henry Chamberlain..: - 1877

Sydney, Charles Potter, 1877.. FIRST EDITION 1877 WITH 2 PAGE SIGNED LETTER FROM THE AUTHOR AND AUTHOR PRESENTATION INSCRIPTION, BOTH TO MR J.H. COCKBURN HOOD. 8vo, approximately 240 x 145 mm, 9½ x 5¾ inches, folding map, 5 charts or diagrams, 4 folding, (plus oddly an additional coloured folding plate showing Sections of the Volcanic Rock on the Islands of Mull and Rum), pages: (2), viii, 189, (2), 1-65, bound in 19th century half calf, red and black mottled cloth sides, gilt raised bands, gilt decoration in compartments, gilt lettered black leather label, top edges and endpapers marbled. Slight rubbing to head and tail of spine and corners, top corners slightly worn, inscription to top corner of title page: "J. H. Cockburn Hood with the Author's Compliments", below are two 20th century signatures, one that of a member of the Cockburn Hood family, small closed tear to edge of folding map, neatly repaired on reverse. A two page autograph letter signed by the author and addressed to "Mr Hood" from Sydney Observatory, 23 April 1878, has been inserted between pages 2 and 3. This letter had accompanied the gift of Russell's book to Cockburn Hood. He expresses his regret at not yet having managed to meet Cockburn Hood and discusses his own theories about the effect of melting icebergs on the climate. Henry Chamberlain Russell (18361907) born in West Maitland, NSW was appointed government astronomer in 1870 and did pioneering work on climate and meteorology. Cockburn Hood was a New Zealand scientist and naturalist and discovered some important fossils. Ferguson, Volume VII, page 166. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE. FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.