A Monograph of the Nectariniidae, or Family of Sun-Birds by G.E. Shelley

Author: Shelley, G.E. 
Illustrator: J.G. Keulemans 
Title: A Monograph of the Nectariniidae, or Family of Sun-Birds 
Publisher: The Author 
Date: 1876-1880 
Place: London 
Dimensions:  Large 4to. 33cmx27cm. 

cviii+393pp 121 hand coloured plates

Presentation copy, inscribed by the author to the Lady De L'Isle and Dudley.
Originally published in 12 parts, here bound in one volume. 

Fine, full leather binding, elaborate gilt tooling to boards. 5 Raised bands to spine, with fine tooling and titles in gilt to compartments. Inner dentelles. All edges gilt. Marbled, gold veined endpapers. Light diagonal scuff to top board, front gutter split, fore-edge corners of the boards lightly bumped, a few light fold creases to prelims, occasional fingermark, else fine. Pencil bookseller’s information to verso of f.f.e.p.

G.E. Shelley was a first cousin of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and a Captain in the Grenadier Guards. After resigning from the military, Shelley published a book on the birds of Egypt, also illustrated by Keulemans, and an unfinished, 5 volume work on the birds of Africa, later completed by Sclater. He also published extensively in the journal Ibis on the birds of Natal and other African regions.

The family of sun-birds, very like in appearance to humming-birds, are some of the most spectacularly coloured in the world. The species in Shelley's monograph are pictorially represented by master ornithological illustrator J.G. Keulemans, himself familiar with the family of sun-birds and whose notes on those found on Prince's Island are incorporated into the text. 

A Monograph of the Nectariniidae is considered by bibliographers to be among the most exceptional of the grand, illustrated ornithological works.

A near fine copy with interesting provenance.

Provenance: Inscribed from the author to Mary (née Foulis), Lady De L'Isle and Dudley, first wife of Philip Sidney, 2nd Baron, who shared a great grandfather, Sir Bysshe Shelley, with the author.
Philip Sidney was a grandson of King William IV, his mother, the first Lady De L'Isle and Dudley, being the eldest illegitimate child of that monarch and his mistress, the actress Dorothea Jordan.

From the library of South African natural history book dealer, publisher and conservationist Russel Friedman.