Natural history of Victoria. Prodromus of the zoology of Victoria; figures and descriptions of the living species of all classes of the Victorian indigenous animals. Decade XX. [Complete Decade].

Melbourne, Government Printers, 1890. 4to (27.0 x 18.1 cm). Two title pages; [ii], 47 [numbered 329-375], (xxxiv [indexes]) pp.; ten chromolithographed plates. Original printed wrappers. Part of one of the most richly illustrated faunal descriptions of Australia; especially interesting because of the many thoroughly observed and carefully described reptiles, fishes, molluscs, bryozoans, and other animals. Many of these Australian animals are pictured and described for the first time. In total 20 decades were published, each with a mix of species from various phyla. This is the complete twentieth and last decade, with fine illustrations of, for instance, lizards, fish, starfish, and butterflies. It also includes the title page to the Part, and to the complete second Volume, as well as the alphabetical, systematical and plate indexes. Very rare. The author, Frederick McCoy, was born in Dublin, either in 1817, 1821 or 1823 (see Adler, p. 87), moved to Australia in 1854 and died there in 1899. The Prodromus consists of 20 decades, published between 1878-1890 with 200 lithographed, often coloured, plates. Rear wrapper detached, edges of the last few leaves brittle; library label on front free endpaper recto, stamps on front wrapper, a few plate versos (not shining through); minor staining in the inner margin of a few leaves due to rusty staples; otherwise very good. Adler II, pp. 86-87; Nissen ZBI, 2828.