Tortoises.- Sowerby (James de Carle) and Edward Lear. Tortoises, Terrapins and Turtles, first edition, 60 lithographed plates by Lear after Sowerby, all but 3 hand-coloured and heightened with gum arabic, title and text spotted, some plates lightly browned, occasional spotting or soiling but mostly marginal, gutta percha perishing and plates becoming loose, original morocco-backed cloth, t.e.g., rubbed, especially spine and corners, [Nissen ZBI 1701], 4to, 1872.

⁂ Lear originally prepared the plates from Sowerby's drawings for Bell's Monograph of the Testudinata, published in parts from 1836 to 1842 but with only 40 plates as the publication was never completed. Sotherans bought up the remaining stock of plates including 20 unpublished ones and issued them in this format with text by J.E.Gray of the British Museum.