Beschreibung:

BELON, Pierre (1517-1564). L’histoire de la nature des oyseaux, avec leurs descriptions, & naifs portraicts retirez du naturel . Paris: Benoît Prevost for Guillaume Cavellat, 1555. First edition, Cavellat issue, of “one of the first ornithological texts of its time to be based on direct observation,” (Norman) by “the prophet of comparative anatomy” (DSB). Belon was a pioneer explorer-naturalist, who both read and traveled widely in his pursuit of scientific understanding. “Belon was the first to organize birds into the six sub-categories of raptors, web-footed waterfowl, fissiped marsh birds, terrestrial birds, and large and small arboreal birds.” This work describes nearly 230 species, combining original observations with quotations from Pliny and Aristotle, and comparing the skeletons of birds and humans. This edition was divided between Gilles Corrozet and Guillaume Cavellat; this copy bears the imprint and device of Cavellat on all the section titles (“The Fat Hen”). Anker 9; Mortimer French 50; Nissen, IVB 86; Norman 181; Zimmer, p. 52. Folio (333 x 218mm). Title and section pages with mark of the fat chicken, woodcut portrait of Belon; woodcut illustrations by Pierre Gourdelle of birds throughout; woodcut initials in various sizes (bifolium loose in first gathering, faint dampstain to top gutter, a few small tears and repairs at margins). Later limp vellum, title in ink on spine (lacking ties, neatly recased with vellum strengthened and endpapers renewed).