ZINANNI Giuseppe Delle uova e dei nidi de gli uccelli… Aggiunte in fine alcune osservazioni, con una dissertazione sopra varie spezie di cavalette.

Nissen, IVB, 1031 (does not mention the divisional titles) ; Anker, 161 (under Ginanni) ; not in Zimmer.

First edition of the “the first work dealing exclusively birds’ eggs and birds’ nests” (Anker).

Divided into two main parts, the first deals with eggs and nests. This first part, then divided into three chapters, is richly illustrated with 106 illustrations on 22 plates. Each of these three chapters is devoted to a specific species of birds, including birds in general (‘uccelli terrestri non rapaci’), birds of prey (‘…rapaci’), and aquatic birds (…’aquatici’).

Each of these three chapters is illustrated with an engraved title. The chapter on eggs of birds of prey include specimen of eggs of kites, buzzards, goshaws, nightjare, and owls. The second part of the work gives details of one species of grasshopper. All the images are based on Zianni’s personal collection, as he himself states (p.7): “Di piu mi sono preso la pena di conservare nel mio piccolo Museo di cose naturali tutte le spezie delle uova degli uccelli, che in questo mio libro troversani delineate, e descritte”.

“A work consisting of two parts, of which the last one, ‘Osservazioni giornali sopra le Cavalette’ (title, pp. 55+[1]), contains eight plates with figures of grasshoppers. The ornithological section of the volume, an early work with figures of birds’ eggs, divides the birds into three groups (‘uccelli terrestri non rapaci’, ‘uccelli terrestri rapaci’, and ‘uccelli aquatici’), and contains a brief account of the forms whose eggs are figured, their nests, breeding time, and eggs. The plates (engravings) in this work, previously much in demand, are comparatively well executed, and show figures of the eggs of 106 species in as many pictures” (Anker).

Fine copy, printed on heavy paper, well preserved in its first binding and entirely uncut, with deckle edges.