ADANSON, (MICHEL) - A NATURALIST IN SENEGAL AFRICA.

Histoire Naturelle du Sénégal. Coquillages. Avec la Relation abrégée d'un Voyage fait en ce pays, pendant les années 1749, 50, 51, 52 & 53. 2 Parts. (1. Voayage. 2. Histoire de Coquillages).

Paris, Claude Jean-Bapt. Bouche, 1757.

4to. Cont. full calf. Gilt boders on covers. Old professional rebacking to style. Back gilt. A few nicks to leather at edges. (8),190;XCVI,275 pp., 1 large folded engraved map (Carte Generale du Senegal) and 19 fine engraved plates, each with many figs of conchs (M.T. Reboul del.et sc.). Broad margins, printed on good paper. Light scattered brownspotting.

Scarce first edition of this early, and perhaps the first scientific, travel expedition in Senegal - an example of a new scientific attitude and method in travel litterature. The author was primarely a botanist, and the results of the expedition was planned to be published in further volumes. Only this volume, relating to conchology and molluscs was published. The first part gives an account of the voyage in the years 1749 to 1753, and the second part describes the conchs and molluscs (conquillages) in fine engravings. - Not in Brunet and Graesse. - Nissen ZBI No. 27 - Casey A. Wood p. 180.

Order-nr.: 31423