THE HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS Fifth Impression 1948 Five (5) Volumes Complete

London: H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd., 1948. (UK) 5th impression 1948. No markings, but a small patch of faint white residue to cover of Volume II, slight spine slant to volume V, otherwise Good to VG; lacking the dust jackets. Blue cloth with gold spine titles. Volume I: Crows to Firecrest, xl, 326pp, index, 32 colour plates; B&W illus in text. Volume II; Warblers to Owls, xiv, 352pp, index, colour plates 33 to 60, B&W illus and maps. Volume III; x, 387pp, index, colour plates 61 to 92, B&W illus and maps in text; Vollume IV, Cormorants to Crane, xiv, 461pp, index, colour plates 93 to 125, B&W illus and maps in text; Volume V: Terns to Game-Birds, xii, 381pp, index, colour plates 126 to 147, B&W illus and maps in text. scientific index volumes I-V. The Handbook of British Birds was a pioneering bird guide published in five volumes by H. F. & G. Witherby, first edition in 1941. It was itself a much enlarged and revised version of H.F. Witherby's Practical Handbook of British Birds (published between 1919 and 1924 as two volumes in three parts). Some of the plates were by Marinus Adrianus Koekkoek the Younger and were licensed after they were painted for Ornithologia Neerlandica, de vogels van Nederland by Eduard Daniel van Oort (published 1922-1935). A heavy set. (10.2 JM . Hardcover. Good/Lacking the Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾".