Oeuvres complètes. Mises en ordre et précédées d'une notice historique par A. Richard, suivies de la classification comparée d'après MM. Cuvier, Lesson, etc. etc. 5 vols.

With engr. plate by Oudet after Chazal ("L'Homme"), and 99 handcolored wood-engr. plates after Edouard de Traviès, partly gummed. Large 8vo. 19th-cent. half leather, gilt lettering on spines (by C. Honegger, Basel). Paris, Dufour, Mulat & Boulanger, 1856-58. Buffon's (1707-1788) highly popular works, one of numerous 19th century editions. Volumes I and II are of a general nature, dealing with the history of the earth, minerals, metals, the development of plants, animals, and humans, human races etc.; volume III deals with mammals, domestic and wild, and volumes IV and V with birds. He was one of the first to give empirical explanations to natural phenomena rather than refer to the biblical creation myth. "Buffon's order is formed by a philosophical bias rather than by science" (DSB), which no doubt worked in his favour with the general reader. His natural history, written in an elegant style, can be rightfully considered as belonging to world literature. The nice plates after Edouard de Traviès show the animals and birds in a natural context. - Text browned or foxed in parts, plates generally clean. - Not in Nissen. SCIENCE: NATURAL HISTORY / NATURGESCHICHTE ;