The Treasury Of Natural History, or, A Popular Dictionary Of Zoology.
By Samuel Maunder
Published by Longman's, Green And Co: London c1888 (undated - inscription 1889)
In Original Leather Bindings - With Thylacinus/Tasmanian Tiger Reference!
"The Treasury of Natural History; or, A Popular Dictionary of Zoology by Samuel Maunder is an extensive Victorian compendium of the animal kingdom, arranged alphabetically for ready reference and combining zoological classification with descriptions of the habits, instincts and natural history of individual species. This later "New Edition" was revised and corrected, with an additional supplement, by E. W. H. Holdsworth, F.L.S., F.Z.S., and was published in London by Longmans, Green, and Co. Although undated, the contemporary ownership inscription dated January 31st 1889 provides a useful terminus for the present copy and supports a publication date of circa 1888.
A particularly substantial production, the volume extends to more than 800 pages and, as proudly stated upon the title page, is "embellished with more than 900 woodcuts expressly engraved for this work." These illustrations appear liberally throughout the text, depicting mammals, birds, fishes, reptiles, invertebrates, anatomical details and other zoological subjects. Maunder's dictionary was intended to make the rapidly expanding field of nineteenth-century natural history accessible to a broad readership, presenting scientific names and classifications alongside readable accounts of the appearance, distribution and behaviour of animals from throughout the world.
Of special Australian interest is the entry for THYLACINUS, appearing on page 681. The work describes Thylacinus as a genus of marsupial animals distinguished from opossums by their dentition and notes the then-known species as "a native of Australia," adding that in its native island Van Diemen's Land it was called both Tiger and Hyæna. Written decades before the extinction of the thylacine, this is a fascinating period reference to one of Australia's most celebrated lost animals and gives the volume considerably greater interest for collectors of Australian natural history, zoology and thylacine material.
The book remains in its handsome original half-leather binding, with gilt-ruled and gilt-lettered spine and attractive marbled paper boards, giving it the classic appearance of a substantial Victorian natural-history reference work. The illustrated frontispiece presents a wonderful assemblage of animals surrounding its central zoological scene, while the hundreds of engravings scattered through the volume make it highly browsable even today. A wonderfully evocative c1888 Victorian natural-history encyclopaedia, combining an impressive original binding, more than 900 illustrations, contemporary 1889 ownership evidence and the especially desirable early reference to the Thylacinus/Tasmanian Tiger."
General wear, fading and some scuffing to covers and spine as shown. Inside hinges have split however covers are secure and there are no loose pages. Old red ink staining to frontis and title page. Contemporary inscription. Pages are typically clean with pleasant age toning. A nice copy in good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
