The Curious Mister Catesby - a "truly ingenious" naturalist explores new worlds de Nelson, E. Charles & Elliott, David J. (editors) - 2015

Athens & London: The University of Georgia Press, 2015. Very well illustrated, tall quarto, pp xx, 425, very clean internally, grey cloth, in a very good dustwrapper which has a slight dimple on its upper cover (also very slightly noticeable on the cloth), otherwise a very good copy. Signed by both editors on the title page, and also by two other contrib utors. [ In 1712, English naturalist Mark Catesby (1683–1749) crossed the Atlantic to Virginia. After a seven-year stay, he returned to England with paintings of plants and animals he had studied. They sufficiently impressed other naturalists that in 1722 several Fellows of the Royal Society sponsored his return to North America. There Catesby catalogued the flora and fauna of the Carolinas and the Bahamas by gathering seeds and specimens, compiling notes, and making watercolour sketches. Going home to England after five years, he began the twenty-year task of writing, etching, and publishing his monumental The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands. Mark Catesby was a man of exceptional courage and determination combined with insatiable curiosity and multiple talents. Nevertheless no portrait of him is known. The international contributors to this volume review Catesby’s biography alongside the historical and scientific significance of his work. Ultimately, this lavishly illustrated volume advances knowledge of Catesby’s explorations, collections, artwork, and publications in order to reassess his importance within the pantheon of early naturalists. ]. Signed by Editor. First Edition. Cloth. Very Good/Good.