Henry Walter Bates, 1863

BATES, Henry Walter (1825-1892). The Naturalist on the River Amazons, A Record of Adventures, Habits of Animals, Sketches of Brazilian and Indian life, and Aspects of Nature under the Equator, during Eleven Years of Travel. London, John Murray, 1863.

First edition of Bates’ classic account of his travels with Wallace in the Amazon river basin. An excellent copy. Charles Darwin wrote, "Bates is only excelled by von Humboldt in his description of the tropical forest." His stay of 11 years in the Amazon was very much longer than most of his naturalist counterparts in the mid 19th century.

It was the result of Darwin’s encouragement that Bates wrote the present work, considered a masterpiece of scientific travel literature. Darwin was impressed by the theory of what is now termed "Batesian mimicry" amongst insects, first announced by Bates in his famous paper "Contributions to an insect fauna of the Amazon Valley. Lepidoptera: Heliconidae," on 21 November 1861. For a description of the important friendship and collaboration between Darwin, Alfred Wallace, and Bates, see the two Darwin presentation copies in this sale. Borba de Moraes, p 91; Sabin 3932a.

Two volumes, octavo (200 x 122mm). Illustrated with 9 wood-engraved plates, including the two frontispieces, a folding map and text illustrations (few spots to prelims). 32-page publisher's catalogue dated January 1863 at end of vol. 1. Original cloth, with gilt-stamped vignettes on upper covers (foot of vol. 1 spine worn, a little shaken with upper hinges weak, light wear to tips, some spotting to endleaves/fore-edges). Provenance: the Barony of Tollemache (armorial bookplates).