3 volumes. Illustrated with 155 hand-colored lithographed plates after J.J. and J.W. Audubon, drawn on stone by W.E. Hitchcock; tissue guards. (Large 8vo) 26.8x17.5 cm. (10½x7") original publishers black and dark green full morocco, gilt decorations on covers and spine, gilt dentelles, all edges gilt. First Octavo Edition, Second Issue (with plates in Volume 1 printed by J. Bowne of Philadelphia and Nagel & Weingaertner of New York, and the title page of the same volume incorrectly dated "MDCCCIVI").

Famed collaboration between Audubon and his sons, John Woodhouse and Victor Gifford, and the Lutheran minister, John Bachman. They travelled through much newly explored territory, illustrating many species that are scarce or endangered today. Beautiful hand-colored plates of hares, squirrels, buffalo, wolves, deer, grizzly bears, etc. The octavo edition was first issued in parts between 1849 and 1854; V.G. Audubon published the first three octavo editions. The present copy is an assembled set, with Volume 3 being in the publisher's dark green morocco and Volumes 1 & 2 being in black morocco. There are other difference, though slight, in the gilt decorations and lettering; also, the endpapers in Volumes 1 & 2 are marbled paper, in Volume 3 they are pale yellow. Bookplate of Francis White on each front paste-down.