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WILLIAM PENNINGTON COCKS, RICHARD Q. COUCH, JONATHON COUCH : 1838 A CORNISH FAUNA BEING A COMPENDIUM OF THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE COUNTY - INCLUDING IMPORTANT AND SIGNIFICANT MANUSCRIPT ADDITIONS AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE NOTED NATURALIST WILLIAM PENNINGTON COCKS

8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. On offer is an important and significant, unique set of published works on Cornish fauna, notable for numerous manuscript additions and drawings by the noted surgeon and naturalist William Pennington Cocks (1791-1878). BOOK SPECIFICS FOLLOW DESCRIPTION. This complete three-volume 1838 set lists the fauna of Cornwall in a systematic way: Parts I and II, "Vertebrate, crustacean, and a portion of the radiate animals" and "The testaceous mollusks" are by Jonathan Couch; part III, "The zoophytes and calcareous corallines" is by Richard Couch (his son). The first volume contains bats, mice, the 'whale tribe' (including grampus, porpoise, highfinned blower, and dolphin), birds, reptiles (including the viper and red viper), fishes (including 9 pages of Yarrell's observations on the lancelet), crustaceans, and radiated animals (mostly starfish). The second volume contains molluscs, together with an appendix taken from a report on the zoology of Cornwall, containing additions to various species, not just molluscs. The third volume contains radiated zoophytes (orders Hydroida, Asteroida, Helianthoida), molluscan zoophytes (Ascidioda), and a supplement to the first two volumes, adding additional species. There are also 23 lithographic plates at the rear entirely related to species in this volume. Of particular importance to collectors, historians and researchers of the topic are the numerous manuscript drawings and annotations contained in the third volume by noted Cornish naturalist William Pennington Cocks. He has annotated in the margins (including some underlining in the text) of numerous pages in the main text, noting specimens found and signing next to each one with his initials. Some are also dated e.g. 1846. Cocks has done his own drawings alongside the lithographic plates in ink, presumably illustrating specific specimens that he found on the coast, together with Latin names at the bottom of each plate. The illustrations - done either beside the printed material or on the blank facing or rear pages - are actually very impressive, and complement the existing lithographs nicely. Further manuscript illustrations have been done by Cocks in the margins of several text pages. Cocks has also written his name at the head of the preface page. Approx. 40 text pages are annotated to some degree, and most lithograph pages (and several blanks) have Cocks' further annotations and/or drawings on them. Historians will know that Cocks donated a small collection to the British Museum in 1849. This included specimens of Balanus tintinnabulum, an extremely variable species and this probably explains why Charles Darwin wished to examine the collection. In a letter to curator John Edward Gray in January 1851, Darwin wrote: "I will be here tomorrow morning at 10 oclock, & as I have very much to do will you kindly oblige me by having Spengler on Cirripedia (which you once showed me) ready for me.- Also I want to look at the rest of the sessile Cirripedia in the Collection, for praise be to Heaven, I have finished Balanus. And Lastly could I see Mr. Cocks' collection?" THE BOOK: A Cornish Fauna; being a compendium of the Natural History of the County, intended to form a companion to the Collection in the Museum of the Royal Institution of Cornwall (3 volume set) by Jonathan and Richard Q. Couch. DETAILS: (Truro): Printed for the Royal Institution of Cornwall, by L.E. Gillet, 1838-1844. First editions. Volumes 1 and 2 in original paper wraps; Volume 3 in original cloth-backed papered boards. vi, 84; viii, 76; xvii, 164pp. Illustrated with 23 lithographic plates, many with additional ink drawings and annotations in contemporary hand. 8vo (standard sized books). CONDITION: Very Good (see table below for details). Volume 1: Sunning and edge-wear to wraps, split down edge of rear wrap, wrap coming loose but still attached. Signature to front wrap. Small nick to fore edge of some front pages, minimal to margin only. Small bumps to page corners. Volume 2: Signature to front wrap. Some sunning and creasing to wraps. Light foxing to bottom of front wrap and a few pages. Volume 3: Ex-library, with stickers to spine, and bookplate to front endpaper. Sunning and edge-wear to boards and spine. Foxing to boards and endpapers, scattered spots elsewhere, minimum to a few plates. Some annotations to margins, including several ink drawings, plus annotations and additional ink drawings (nicely done) to most plates. Further notes to one laid-in leaf, and rear fly leaf. Spine starting between a number of text pages, and binding a little fragile, but still intact. Overall G.. Book Condition: Good

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