ix, [1], 502 + 32 ad pp. Folding lithographed diagram.7½x4½, rebound in modern full green straight-grained morocco ruled in gilt, spine decoratively tooled and lettered in gilt, raised bands, gilt-ruled turn-ins, marbled endpapers top edges gilt, matching morocco & cloth slipcase. First Edition.

First edition of "certainly the most important biological book ever written" (Freeman). This first edition (often called the first issue, since the second edition was also dated 1859 with few differences) has the two quotations (not the three of later editions) on the verso of the half-title (p.ii); the misprint "speceies" on p.20, line 11; and the whale bear story on p.184. As Freeman notes, "There is only one issue of the first edition, the text being identical in all copies. There are, however, small differences in the cases and in the inserted advertisements...." There were 1250 copies of the first edition printed, of which only about 1170 copies were available to the trade, the remainder being reserved for presentation or review. It has often been stated that all copies were sold the first day of publication, but Freeman doubts the verifiability of this, "indeed once copies had reached the bookshops, up and down the country, how could anyone know whether they were sold or not." At any rate, the book was rapidly consumed by the public, and swiftly reprinted. This copy, in a beautiful full morocco binding, is complete with the inserted advertisements at rear, which are dated June 1859, with the text not surrounded by a frame. Freeman 373; PMM 344(b).