"Series of 48 volumes in-8vo, with 23 engraved frontisp, 2 folding maps and 1384 plates. Contemporary half leather bindings, traces of wear, blue sprinkled edges. I. Allgemeine Naturgeschichte. Berlin, Pauli, 1771-74. Vol. I-IV and VI-VII (from 7). With 6 engraved title-pages, 2 engraved frontisp., 15 plates and 2 folding maps. Ref. Nissen ZBI 710 II. Naturgeschichte der vierfüssigen Thiere. Berlin, Pauli, 1772-1795.Vol. I-XX. With 20 engraved title-pages, 10 engraved frontisp., 434 engraved plates of animals, all contemp. HAND COLOURED. Without vol. 21-23, published some years later. Ref. Nissen ZBI 711 III. Naturgeschichte der Vögel. Berlin, Pauli, 1772-1795. Vol. I-XXII. With 22 engraved title-pages, 11 engraved frontisp., 935 engraved plates of birds, all contemp. HAND COLOURED. Without vol. 23-35, published until 1809. Ref. Nissen IVB, 159 ; Wood p. 268"
One of the most valuable of the many editions of this remarkable work. It is impossible to overrate Buffon's early and important contributions to the science of ornithology. The illustrations in the present edition are drawn from several sources, but most of them are prints from the plates of the original French treatise (Wood)
