Descrizione

London, Thynne & Co., 1938. 8vo (21.4 x 14.0 cm). 227 [(viii), 206, (ix)] pp.; frontispiece; five plates, one geological table. Original green cloth with gilt title on the spine. = Written by the British ornithologist Douglas Dewar (1875-1957). The work is original and interesting, but - of course - wrong. For instance, the author calls for the authority of F. P. Marrat, who "is of the opinion that all o the 150 described species of . Nassa belong to one and the same species!" Marrat's despair is well-known among malacologists, but more advanced research has proved him wrong ever since. The author also calls for the support of the dog whelk, with a fine plate showing its variability. He regarded several forms of evolution rather as "degeneration preparatory to extinction". Very uncommon. Spine sunned, otherwise a very good, clean and unmarked copy.