ZOOLOGY - Bell, Thomas. A Monograph of the Testudinata. 8 parts in 1 volume. With 40 coloured engraved plates. Plates by Edward Lear after J. C. D. Sowerby. London, Samuel Highley and J. Halinbourg, [1836-1842]. Folio (38 × 28.2 cm). [1] p., XXIV p., [41] vols. Half leather with gilt-stamped spine title. Nissen IVB 296 - First edition. - Extremely rare work by the English naturalist Thomas Bell (1792-1880) on tortoises, illustrated with 40 splendid plates by Edward Lear (1812-1888) after drawings by James de Carle Sowerby (1787-1871). All plates are heightened with gum arabic and (with the exception of 6 at the end) are provided with a small protective shirt. The work was published in instalments, 8 of which were published before the company had to be discontinued due to the publisher's financial difficulties. For this reason, the introductory text breaks off in the middle of the sentence. A title page was probably not printed, our copy with a title on stronger paper, which probably served as the cover of the first instalment. - Somewhat browned, somewhat stained in the margins in places. - A very nice copy.