Life-Histories of Northern Animals (Original Sketch + Signed Inscription): An Account of the Mammals of Manitoba

This is a rare set of "Life-Histories of Northern Animals ~ An Account of the Mammals of Manitoba" by naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton that contains an original, signed pen & ink drawing, as well as a signed inscription by Seton. 1909 1st edition; Charles Scribner's Sons; New York. Complete set in two volumes. The set is profusely illustrated with 68 maps and 560 drawings by Seton. Gilt top page edges. Volume I - Grass-Eaters; Volume II - Flesh-Eaters. Massive set with 1,267 numbered pages in all. There are 60 mammals covered in all, including deer, moose, caribou, buffalo, chipmunk, bear, beaver, porcupine, antelope, dog, hare, bat, cattle, etc.

The front end paper of volume I contains a wonderfully detailed, original pen & ink drawing of a moose by Seton. The drawing is signed, as follows: "Original sketch by Ernest Thompson Seton" with his customary "paw print" signature. The drawing was created on a separate, heavier stock of paper and has been affixed to the end paper. Below the drawing is an original, handwritten inscription by Seton in ink, as follows: "To R. Clifford Black, this sketch with compliments of Ernest Thompson Seton. (paw print signature) hoping further that he may have as much pleasure in reading this book as I did in creating the material. E.T.S."

From the Preface: "This aims to be a book of popular Natural History on a strictly scientific basis. In it are treated some 60 quadrupeds that I have known and studied for many years. Although I have limited the scope to the 60 species that are found in Manitoba, this takes in all the large land Mammals of the United States, except about a dozen, including five of the big game. Having followed these 60 into all parts of their ranges, I have virtually included the Continent from Labrador to California. Thirty years of personal observations are here in set forth; every known fact bearing on the habits of these animals has, so far as possible, been presented, and everything in my power has been done to make this a serious, painstaking, loving attempt to penetrate the intimate side of the animals' lives - the side that has so long been overlooked, because until lately we have persistently regarded wild things as mere living targets, and have seen in them nothing but savage or timorous creatures, killing, or escaping being killed, quite forgetting that they have their homes, their mates, their problems and their sorrows - in short, a home-life that is their real life, and very often much larger and more important than that of which our hostile standpoint has given us such fleeting glimpses."

Condition:
The set is in overall Very Good- condition. The primary condition issue is with the spines and spine labels: the volume I spine has a strip of cloth missing along the top edge, and has a 4" cloth tear at the top-right edge where the cloth meets the label; the volume II spine label has a piece missing at the top-left corner. Both spine labels have soiling/staining with partial fading to the gilt lettering. Light soiling to the covers. Both volumes are tightly bound with no cracks and no loose pages. All covers are firmly attached. Nice interiors - the pages of both volumes are in excellent condition...clean with only a few random, light smudges found. Bright gilt top page edges. The front end paper of volume I has an original drawing by Seton affixed to the page, with his handwritten inscription in ink below it. Some pages are still attached at the outer edge.