Aquatic life.- Rondelet (Guillaume) Libri de piscibus marinis, 2 vol. in 1, first edition, woodcut printer's device to titles, 2 portraits of the author and numerous illustrations, lacking H1-6 vol. 2 (provided in manuscript), large loss to title not affecting text (laid down), Qq4 vol. 1 with loss to lower corner affecting text (nearly restored), L1-M2 vol. 1 with tiny worming to upper corner, occasional spotting and staining throughout, occasional marginal ink notes, modern endpapers, later vellum (recased), rubbed, [Adams R746 & R757; Nissen ZBI 3474; Norman 1848; Wood, p. 541], folio, Lyon, Macé Bonhomme, 1554-1555.

⁂ First edition of Rondelet's monumental study of aquatic life, which 'influenced the development of ichthyological research and remained the standard reference for over a century...The work is especially valuable for its accurate treatment of Mediterranean species, and for providing what are apparently the first zoological accounts of the manatee and sperm whale' (Norman). Rondelet devoted two years to the writing of the present work, during which time he dissected numerous creatures in order to include anatomical drawings.