(Amsterdam: Chez J. H. Scheider, 1778).

RARE FIRST EDITION WITH BEAUTIFULLY ENGRAVED PLATES OF AFRICAN FAUNA AND FLORA.  Through the energetic administration of Governor Tulbagh, which began in 1751, a number of important exploring expeditions were mounted in South Africa in the second half of the 18th century. This one was led by a militia officer, Hendrik Hop, with the support of Tulbagh, and it included the surveyor Brink, the botanist Ange, and the surgeon and mineralogist Rykvoet. There were over 80 personnel in the expedition which successfully explored the area of the Great Namaqua north of the Orange River. Among the successful results was the capture of a giraffe, the skin of which was sent to the museum at Leyden, the first of the southern variety to find its way to Europe.
 ...the first part of the work contains a description of the Cape by M. Allemand, professor at Leyden, and M. Klockner a physician residing at Amsterdam. The Journal gives an account of the expedition to Namaqualand, which extended from July 16, 1761 to April 27, 1762, and has many illustrations fo the fauna of the country, and there are also reports on the natives and minerals, which were drwn up by other members of the expedition . Mendelssohn Vol. I, 185
The average size of the engraved plates is 185 x 150 mm, and the animals depicted are: the male and female Elephant, the Hippopatamus, the Giraffe, the Rhinoceros, the Kudu, the Zebra (three prints), the Gnu, the Gemsbok, Roan Antelope, the Jerboa, the Warthog, and the Cape Mole Rat. The final print is of the Wax Tree. Item #21964

Two parts in one volume. First Edition, French Issue, published by the same printer as the Dutch edition of the same year. Illustrated with 16 finely engraved folding natural history plates. 8vo (210 x 126 mm), contemporary full mottled calf, with elaborate gilt tooling to compartments of the spine, red morocco lettering label gilt, both covers with gilt floral roll-tooled designs at the borders, marbled end-leaves, all edges marbled. (8), 130; (2), 100 pp. A very handsome copy, beautifully preserved copy with the original tissue guards in place, minor age-wear at the hinges, slight antique refurbishment to the head-cap, withal a fine copy.