Frank Chapman, Distribution Bird Life in COLOMBIA, 1917

The Distribution of Bird-life in Colombia; a contribution to a biological survey of South America
by
Frank M. Chapman

* * See below for more pictures * *

 DETAILS: (New York): American Museum of Natural History, 1917. First edition. Library buckram binding, with original wraps pasted to boards. x, 729pp. Illustrated with 31 photographic plates, 6 maps (including 2 colour and 2 folding), and 4 colour plates. Large 8vo (larger sized book - 7in x 9.5in). This is a heavy item weighing over 1.25kg with packaging.

CONDITION: Very Good (see table below for details). Buckram rebinding, with original wraps pasted to boards. Ex-library with ink stamp and small label to endpapers, otherwise no obvious markings. Hinges starting but binding still quite soild. Thin line of purple dye from reinforcement cloth showing through to endpapers at both ends of the book (and lightly to rear of folding map), no other pages affected. Some sunning to wraps and title label on spine. Creases to blank endpapers. Very minimal edgewear to a couple of rear pages. A little sunning to pages and plates, otherwise in nice internal condition. A solid copy! *Photo(s) given of actual book.

CONTENTS: A scarce copy of this impressive volume on Colombian birds. The opening 170 pages provide background notes on the many expeditions through Colombia, notes on Colombian topography and climate, and the fauna of the various tropical (Colombian-Pacific, Caribbean, Amazonian) and subtropical (West Andean, East Andean) zones.

The second part provides the full classified list of 1285 species (including 45 North American immigrants, which are also listed separately at the front of the section). Entries include references in other works, habitat and distribution, while there are varying entries on more notable species, comparing the plumage of similar species from different areas, and comparing those specimens found with those previously collected.

The text is supplemented by 41 plates, most of which are photo plates from the expeditions. There are also 6 maps, including 2 folding maps (one of which is the frontispiece) and 2 colour maps. There are also 4 attractive colour plates of birds towards the rear of the work. There are also 21 figures in the text, mostly distribution maps.

The book, published as Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History Volume XXXVI, has been rebound in library buckram, with the original wraps pasted to the boards. The hinges are starting, but otherwise this is a very tidy copy.