Darwin and the Beagle

New York: Harper & Row, Publishers. Near Fine in Very Good+ dust jacket. 1969. Hardcover. Alan Moorehead's illustrated summation of the five-year voyage of discovery of the H.M.S. Beagle, a British brig sent by the Admiralty. The 23-year-old Charles Darwin was aboard as the naturalist of the expedition. Visiting South America, islands in the Pacific Ocean including the Galapagos (for just over a month), Australia, Tasmania, islands in the Indian Ocean, along the coast of Africa, and back to South America, Darwin made numerous observations about flora and fauna he and his fellow travelers encountered. His "On the Origin of Species" and other notable works were based in large part on his discoveries. With dozens of color and black & white illustrations & maps, borrowed from the rich assortment of contemporary paintings, drawings, prints and sketches. Includes paintings by Augustus Earle and Conrad Martens, who also were aboard the Beagle. --- In green cloth-covered boards with image of the Beagle to front cover, spine titling stamped in gilt. Volume wrapped in jacket with representative paintings to front and back panels. --- With prior owner's signature to front free endpaper, else a bright, tightly-bound, well-preserved copy. Unclipped jacket ($15) with a small tear near head of spine and mild curling to edges, else bright and wrapped in removable archival mylar protector.; Tall Octavo - 9 to 10 in. tall; 280 pages .