Exercitationes de differentiis & nominibus animalium, quibus accedunt mantissa anatomica et quaedam de variis fossilium generibus, deque differentiis & nominibus colorum. Editio secunda, duplo fere auctior priori, novisque iconibus ornata de CHARLETON, Walter - 1677

Oxford: Sheldonian Theatre, 1677. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Folio - over 12 - 15" tall. Folio (355 x 220 mm). Three parts in one volume. [20], 119 [1], 106, [2], 78, [20] pp. Title with engraved vignette, woodcut initials, engraved illustrations in text, 2 engraved plates, separate half-titles to second and third part, bound without blank leaf dd*2. Signatures: Signatures: a-e2 A-Z2 Aa-Gg2 a*-z*2 aa*-dd*2 (Aa)-(Zz)2 (Aaa)2. Bound in slightly later full vellum, spine with earlier morocco label, original endpapers (joints partially split at spine ends, hole at foot of spine, dust-soiling of vellum, corners bumped). Text very little browned at outer margins, occasional minor spotting, title-page a bit dust soiled, short clean tears to outer margins of some leaves, occasional minor finger-soiling. Provenance: Boston Society of Natural History (Benjamin D. Greene bequest label dated 1863 on front pastedown). Very good copy in untouched binding. ----

SECOND, ENLARGED, EDITION, first published in 1668 as Onomasticon zoicon. Charleton's work gives a list of all the known animals at that time by their respective English, Latin, and Greek names. Of interest in the history of ornitholgy, it is the first work by an English author to add illustrations to a list of birds.
The title bears the vignette of the famous Sheldonian Theatre. Physician to Charles I, anatomist and philosopher, Walter Charleton (1619-1707) was one of the first to embrace his contemporary William Harvey's new theory of blood circulation. He distinguished himself by extensive knowledge in the various branches of medicine, and his writings are commended for their method and clarity.
References: Cole 508; Nissen ZBI 872; Wing C3672; Osler 2292; Garrison-Morton 292, Norman 461 (for first editon). - Visit our website to see more images!