P. Duménil

Illustrated edition with 164 steel plates at the end of each volume. More than 500 animals are represented since there are several figures per plate. Chelonians or turtles: 5 plates. Saurians or lizards: 12 plates. Batrachians: 6 plates. Ophidians or serpents: 21 plates. Fish: 115 plates. Cetaceans: 5 plates. The title page announces 150 plates.
Publisher's navy blue decorative temporary binding. Smooth spine decorated in grotesque style, with multiple fine fillets interlacing and forming spheres and a succession of lozenges and waves. 4 brown cartouches including 2 rectangular ones for the author and publisher, a lozenge for the volume number and an oval for the title. Boards decorated with a lace doily and a large central brown oval for the title, on the spine the printer: Firmin Didot frères. Rubbing, particularly to headcaps, joints and corners. Scattered pale foxing.
Handsome copy preserved in its rare original binding.

Illustrated edition with 150 fine hors-texte engravings depicting more than 500 animals.
Half bronze sheep bindings, smooth spines decorated with gilt arabesques, some light rubbing to joints without significance, marbled paper boards, marbled edges, contemporary bindings.
Some minor foxing, two marginal dampstains affecting the first and last pages of the third volume, a small lack not touching text on pages 257-258 of the first volume.