[Rarebooks] fa: [CALIFORNIA & OREGON GEOLOGY, BOTANY, ZOOLOGY] PACIFIC RAILROAD SURVEY 1857 - w/ 50 PLATES

[ArCh]

Auction ends Sunday, April 9. Images and more details can be found at the URL below or by searching for the seller name arch_in_la. 

https://tinyurl.com/4aza4u85

Thanks again,
Ardwight Chamberlain
Ann Arbor, MI, USA


[Henry L. Abbot (ed.):] Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to Ascertain the Most Practicable and Economical Route for a Railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean... Volume VI: Report of Lieut. Henry L. Abbot, Corps of Topographical Engineers, upon Explorations for a Railroad Route, from the Sacramento Valley to the Columbia River, made by Lieut. R.S. Williamson... (Washington: A. O. P. Nicholson, printer), 1857.

Quarto (30 cm) in modern calf-backed marbled boards, spine lettered and decorated in gilt, new endpapers; [4], 134, [2], 85, ]3], 102, [2], 114, [2], iv, 64, [2] pp.; with numerous in-text woodcuts and 50 tinted and black&white lithograph plates, including two colored plates of birds.

One of twelve such volumes of Pacific Railroad surveys commissioned by Secretary of War Jefferson Davis and published from 1855-1861. This volume, complete in itself, focuses on the topography, geology, botany and zoology of Northern California and Oregon. Mild toning to the text leaves with more pronounced edge-browning to the first few leaves, occasional offsetting from the plates, a few small spots here and there, else clean and sound, with the plates in very good or better condition. Firmly bound in a fresh and attractive modern binding.

Contents: Part I. General Report. -- Part II. Geological Report: 1. Report upon the Geology of the Route. 2. Description of the Tertiary Fossils collected on the survey. 3. Report upon an Analytical Examination of waters and minerals from the hot springs in Des Chutes Valley. 4. Catalogue of the Minerals and Fossils collected on the survey. -- Part III. Botanical Report: Report upon the Botany of the Route (Geographical botany; Description of the forest trees of northern California and Oregon). 2. General Catalogue of the Plants collected on the expedition. -- Part IV. Zoological Report: 1. Report upon Fishes collected on the survey. 2. Report upon the Zoology of the route (Report upon Mammals; Report upon Birds). 3. Report upon Land Shells collected on the survey. 4. Report upon Reptiles collected on the survey. -- Appendices (Astronomical Observations; Comparison of Chronometers; List of Camps.; etc., etc.).