Pp. (10), 45, 19 fine hand-colored plates. Contemporary brown sheep, 6 raised bands with gilt decorations in each spine compartment, morocco spine labels, 4to. The author's father, botanical illustrator Nikolaus Jacquin, explored Central America and the West Indies in 1755 to 1759 collecting information for a botanical book he published in 1763. During his travels he also made paintings and described the birds he encountered. He passed these notes and paintings on to his son, Joseph Jacquin who published the current volume. Jacquin describes 32 species of American birds (several are described for the first time), 19 of which are figured on the hand-colored plates. One of the earliest books published on the ornithology of the Americas. For further information, see Zimmer, p. 320, Anker no. 220, Fine Bird Books (1990), p. 108.