A Guide to The Birds of Southern Rhodesia by Cecil D Priest - 1929

ont> William Clowes : London, 1929 Book. Very Good. Hardcover. First edition.. The first edition of this fascinating ornithological study on the birds of Rhodesia. Colourfully illustrated, this work is also a handy guide to the fundamentals of studying birds at the start of the twentieth century. With introductory chapters and diagrams indicating the parts of a bird, how to measure them, to measure their eggs, how to preserve bird skin and how to blow and care for eggs in addition to a useful glossary. These preliminary pages provide an insight to the practices of ornithological study contemporaneously. With a foreword by Major A L Cooper who notes that little has been written previously on the birds of Rhodesia. He notes that 'the most effective method of preserving bird life is to excite an interest in studying it, and as up to the present there has been no literature on the subject, Captain Priest's work fills a greatly-felt want'. Priest notes to his own introduction that by writing this book he is attempting to fill the gap in knowledge regarding studies of Rhodesian birds. He states 'this book is primarily intended to be a guide to the birds of Rhodesia and to their habits. . . it in no way aspires to be more than a simple outline to help those who wish to know more about the numerous birds that live in Rhodesia'. Beautifully illustrated, with plates by one Mrs Mount of Salisbury. There is a coloured frontispiece and thirteen coloured plates by Mrs Mount. In addition to this there are twenty-three vignette sketches by the author. Collated, complete. A charming observational work on the birds of Rhodesia. Condition: In the publisher's original cloth binding. Externally, generally smart with several light marks to the boards and spine. Rubbing and bumping to the head and tail of spine and to the joints. Front hinge is slightly strained though remains firm. Ex-library stamps to the front free endpaper, 'Government Indian School' with the cancelled stamp over this. Prior owner's inscription to the recto of front endpaper, P F Bromfield. Internally, firmly bound. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright. The occasional tear with some loss to the corner of the tissue guards to several plates, the plates themselves are not affected. Just the odd spot to pages. Overall Condition: Very Good.