THE NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE.

London : for C. & J. Rivington; J. & A. Arch [and others], 1825. A most attractive edition of White's 1789 classic. White was the first to take a census of birds, to study their territories and analyse their migration patterns, the first to understand the concept of a food chain. "The young Charles Darwin would grow up with White's book at his side - [he] is the indispensible precursor to those great Victorians who would transform our ideas about life on earth ... Lyell, Spencer, Huxley and Darwin" (Robert McCrum). Two volumes. Demy 8vo (216 x 132mm). viii,(352); [iv],364pp. Four engraved plates, one with full hand colour. Bound in full contemporary polished calf, banded and gilt; red labels; marbled edges and endleaves; lightly rubbed; a few slight marks; some spotting to prelims and plates, but still very good set.