Review of the Genus Cisticola – 2 vols. The Ibis, a quarterly journal of ornithology. Twelfth series. Vol. vi. Supplementary number

Second Hand
Hardback
Published by: British Ornithologists’ Union
1st edition. Book Condition: Very good.

Red cloth bindings with gilt spine and cover titles; bindings solid, light wear to top and bottom of spine with moderate spine fade, a small stain to the text volume’s spine. Both volumes internally very crisp, clean and bright. The volume of plates includes an index and checklist and comprises 19 attractive double-page colour plates laid out as a measured chart showing each species as a juvenile and an adult in both summer and winter, with plate 19 including the different types of first primary feathers and the different types of nest, plus 1 plate of African maps: avifaunal districts, orographic, political and vegetation; all plates in exceptional condition aside from a very small (15mm) tear to the bottom margin of plate 10. Attractive bookplate to both front pastedowns of the British ornithologist Harry Forbes Witherby, who was the founding editor (in 1907) of the magazine British Birds and author of the Handbook of British Birds. The bookplates depict a grouse(?) encircled by the text “What’s hit is history; what’s missed is mystery”. Vol. 1 FFEP contains a label with an inscription gifting the book to Witherby. Text volume: prelims+ii+674pp; plates volume: prelims+3pp. index+20plates+vii checklist. Overall VG. A scarce title, never reprinted, with interesting provenance. Photos available on request.