A Description of above Three Hundred Animals, viz. beasts, birds, fishes, serpents, and insects. With a particular account of the manner of catching whales in Greenland. Extracted from the best authors, and adapted to the use of all capacities. by [Boreman, Thomas] - 1803: Illustrated with copper plates, whereon is neatly engraven every Beast, Bird, Fish, Serpent, and Insect described in the whole book.

London: Wilson and Spence and R. Christopher & T. Jennett, 1803.

1803 EARLY ENGLISH CHILDREN'S NATURAL HISTORY WITH 95 COPPER PLATES CONTAINING 300 ANIMALS PICTURED AFTER ILLUSTRATIONS PUBLISHED IN THE 16TH AND 17TH CENTURIES.

6 3/4 inches tall hardcover, recent 3/4 leather binding with gilt rules and marble paper covered boards, spine with raised bands and gilt red leather label, new endpapers, 210 pp, 300 animals illustrated on 95 copper plates, including folding plate of whaling in Greenland (reinforced with paper backing). Browning to title page and page edges, overall good+ in custom archival mylar cover.

THOMAS BOREMAN (1730–1743) was one of the earliest English children's book publishers particularly dealing with animals. His bookshops were located around London. Boreman published along with Richard Ware and Thomas Game from the 1730s. His Three Hundred Animals was the first, published ca 1730 and written for children. He published approximately a dozen titles. Many of his books were based on Konrad Gesner's Historia animalium (1551) and some were inspired by Edward Topsell's Historie of Foure-Footed Beastes (1607). Boreman's work itself is thought to have inspired Buffon's publication of the Histoire naturelle (1749–88).