Pp. (iv), 4, (122), (2), 61 fine aquatint engraved plates, printed in bistre and finished by hand-coloring. Contemporary paneled brown straight grain morocco, boards are bordered in gilt, spine is gilt and blind-stamped and divided into seven richly gilt compartments, lettered in the second, all edges are gilt, folio (17 x 11.5 inches). This is clearly one of the finest of all nineteenth-century shell-books illustrated with exquisite plates. It is also the only shell book illustrated with aquatint plates. The fine plates are engraved, and colored after the original drawings by John Clarke. Many new generic and specific names are published here for the first time. The shells illustrated come for various private museums brought back from the South Pacific and New Zealand among others regions. Perhaps the most famous collection was put together by Elizabeth Blyth, wife of William Bligh of the H.M.S. Bounty; Captain Bligh collected these shells during many of his voyages. See also Nissen ZBI, 3134.