The Medusae of the World. The Hydromedusae. The Scyphomedusae. [Complete in three volumes].

Washington, DC, The Carnegie Institute of Washington, 1910. Three volumes in three Large 4to (29.6 x 23.4 cm). 769 pp. [1-230, xv; 231-498, xv; iv, 499-735]; 77 chromolithographed plates [numbered 1-76, 64A], except Plates 70-72, which are black-and-white photographic plates; 428 text illustrations; one folding table. Uniform publisher's embossed cloth with gilt title on the spines. = A surprisingly rare, massive, definitive monograph on jellyfish with fine illustrations showing taxonomically and systematically important characters, and amazing full-colour plates of living animals (and a few photographs). This is the original publication, in three parts. A much later reprint came in two, smaller volumes, and is no comparison. It is hard to understand why this beautifully produced work is such a rarity. The author, the American invertebrate zoologist and marine biologist Alfred Goldsborough Mayer (1868-1922 ) later changed his name to Mayor. Nearly all the fine plates were drawn by himself. This is Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 109. A stamp on the title page verso states the actual day of publication (9, 9, and 25 August respectively). Provenance: Collection on the History, Government and Institutions of the United States given by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (their bookplate on each front pastedown). Skilful repairs to two spines; some light foxing to the first and last few leaves of each part; otherwise a very good, clean set. Cat. BM(NH) Supplement p. 816; Nissen ZBI, 2756.