Zoology.- Felines.- Elliot (Daniel Giraud) A Monograph of the Felidæ or Family of the Cats, first edition, 43 finely hand-coloured lithograph plates, 'Felis Javensis' plate repaired at verso foot, all 11 original printed upper wrappers bound in at end, later half morocco, spine lettered in gilt, [Nissen ZBI 1279; Wood p.332], large folio, for the Subscribers, by the Author, [1878]-1883.

⁂ A superb copy of the first and only edition of the most splendid monograph on felines. The plates are from drawings by Joseph Wolf, and lithographed by J.Smith.

In the preface, Elliot remarks of Wolf's illustrations: "It is quite unnecessary for me to call attention to the plates which ornament this volume. They are worthy of the great artist who produced them and they bear an enhanced value...". Josef Wolf, of German origin, was the first of a select group of continental bird and animal artists to be attracted to England, to be followed by artists as Keulemans Smit and Grönvold. He became one of the most celebrated artists of his time, illustrating other works by Elliot, Schlegel & Wulverhorst's 'Traité de Fauconnerie', and contributing a.o. plates to Gould's 'Birds of Asia' and 'The Birds of Great Britain'. Daniel Giraud Elliot was a wealthy American naturalist and author of a number of sumptuously illustrated ornithological books as well as the present work on the family of cats. He was Curator of Zoology at the Field Museum of Chicago.