The Parlour Menagerie. Descriptive and Anecdotal; With Three Hundred Illustrations by Thomas Bewick et al.

Paternoster Row, London: John Hogg, Publisher, 1882. Stated Fourth Edition and MDCCCLXXXII, or 1882, at title page; no other dates. Handy 5 1/4" x 8" design. Dark blue buckram (cloth) boards, ornate cover titles and design in gilt and black, moderate shelf wear, rub. This edition features a uniquely dynamic cover design which appears as a forrested jungle scene wrapping to spine. At cover is an explorer in gilt with sword in hand riding on the back of a crocodile through growth with sharp titles above bordered by golden limbs, several flying birds in gilt with monkey hanging down from branch. At spine, several birds in gilt with mother swooping to protect her golden eggs nested and large viper coiling tree to pursue a meal. Blind-stamped eight-petaled ornamental design at back board. Pages generally very good; attractive toning. Bind good, square; hinges intact. Near very good rarity. Full title: "The Parlour Menagerie. Wherein are Exhibited in a Descriptive and Anecdotal Form, the Habits, Resources, and Mysterious Instincts of the More Interesting Portions of Animal Creation. With Upwards of Three Hundred Wood Engravings by Thomas Bewick, James Reiveley, william Harvey, and Others." Features hundreds of charming wood engravings printed on single side of leaves. Also, decorative vignettes and ornamentation. A charming volume concerning the creation and panoply of life on earth. Several paragraphs for each animal feature intriguing and accessible traits and natures thereof. From title page: "Learn from the Bird what food the thickets yield; Learn from the Beasts the physic field; The art of building from the Bee receive; Learn of the Mole to plow - the Worm to weave. - Pope's Essay on Man." Ten pages of contents at front arranged in alphabetical order with pagination. Also, four pages with an alphabetized list for the illustrations. From list of illustrations page: "Note. - The sixty-six wood cuts in this book engraved by the celebrated Thomas Bewick are distinguished by an asterisk, thus." Four pages of adverts with summaries at back for available titles from John Hogg, Publisher. 520 pages. Insured post.. Fourth Edition . Hard Cover. Good. Illus. by Bewick, Thomas; Reiveley, James; Harvey, William &c.. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" Tall.