The game-birds of India, Burma and Ceylon. Ducks and their allies (swans, geese and ducks)

London: John Bale, Sons & Danielsson, 1921. SECOND EDITION. With 60 colored plates after Grönvold, Lodge and Keulemans, 15 black and white plates and 2 maps. Original half-morocco over cloth boards, spines of Volumes I and II different color, gilt lettering on spine, marbled endpapers. An enjoyable copy from the Library of Dr. James M. Dolan with his faint blind-stamp on the title pages and the stamp of Peshawar Club Library on the verso of some plates. Second edition of this classic work of Indian ornithology. The first edition of 1908 was based on updated and edited articles which appeared first in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. The popularity of the work resulted in this expanded printing with additions, corrections and material on new species and their geographical distribution. Some of the plates of the first edition have been replaced by better ones in this second edition; indeed, the present work is essentially a new one since it “adds a considerable amount of matter not obtainable by me when writing in India” (Introduction to Vol I). The first volume is devoted to the duck, the second to snipes, bustards and sand-grouse and the third to pheasants and bustard-quail. A unique in-depth insight into these birds’ world.

Baker (1864-1944), was one of the most eminent exponents of Indian ornithology. After being educated at Trinity College he entered the Indian Police Force in 1883, rising to the rank of Inspector-General. He spent most of his service in Assam, which provided him with the great opportunity of observing the wild life (of interest, he lost an arm while hunting panthers there). He collected birds and wrote not only about ducks, but game birds and fauna of the area.