NATURALIST ON THE RIVER AMAZONS, A Record of Adventures, Habits of Animals, Sketches of Brazilian and Indian Life, and Aspects of Nature Under the Equator, During Eleven Years of Travel. Two volumes.

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351 pp.; 423 pp. First edition; first printing; Binding fine; text near fine, minor fading at edges; light damp stain title page vol. II. Vol. I: [iii]-viii; [1]-351; f.p., pristine folding map at rear, + 4 leaves of black and white plates, including 12 engravings; and [1]-32 pp. of Mr. Murray's adverts at the rear. Vol. II: [iii]-vi; [1]-423; fp.; + 3 leaves of plates including 20 engravings. 8vo bound in later maroon buckram rebacked with original cloth over new boards; gold lettering stamped upper cover and across the spine; marble endpapers; red and yellow headbands; fp; black and white plates; fold-out map. See additional images provided. 1250 copies; two frontispieces and plates illustrate Bates' adventures. Bates, a naturalist and amateur entomologist, accompanied Alfred Russel Wallace in their historic expedition to the Brazilian Amazon in 1847. Bates collected over 14,000 insects in 11 years, plus specimens of many animals and plants, many unknown, and sent them back to England. After a year they split up, Wallace staying three more years, Bates remaining a total of 11 years. Bates fascination with the rain forest and discovery of many species new to science made him one of the foremost naturalists of the 19th century. Quoting Borba 91, "The classification of all the insects Bates sent back to England occupied scientists for many years. It was Darwin who encouraged him to write this book, which today is a classic. In Darwin's words: 'Bates is only excelled by Humboldt in his description of the tropical forest.' ?Wallace, Bates, Darwin, and Spruce were the great English naturalists of the nineteenth century, and the founders and defenders of the theory of the origin of species, a theory originating from Bates' observations in Brazil. Size: 8vo. 0.0. Seller Inventory # 3425

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