The Malay Archipelago: The Land of the Orang-Utan and the Bird of Paradise. A Narrative of Travel, with Studies of Man and Nature

London: Macmillan and Co, 1874 . Cloth. Good. 8" by 5.5". Not Stated. The fifth edition of Alfred Russel Wallace's account of his scientific exploration in the Malay Archipelago from 1854-1862. The fifth edition of this work, first published in 1896. It immediately became one of the most popular books of scientific exploration of the nineteenth century, and has never been out of print.Illustrated with a wood-engraved frontispiece, seven plates, numerous vignette illustrations, and two folding colour maps. Collated, complete.Wallace reflects on his travels of the southern portion of the Malay Archipelago, including Malaysia, Singapore, the islands of Indonesia, and New Guinea. He provides a detailed discussion of the physical and human geography of each area, with focus on volcanoes, flora and fauna. Wallace collected thousands of specimens on this journey, which are summarised in this writing. With a thirty-four page publisher's catalogue to the rear, dated January 1875.Joseph Conrad called the book his 'favourite bedside companion', and used information from it for several of his novels, especially 'Lord Jim'. In the publisher's original cloth binding. Bumping to back strip head and tail, with rubbing to cloth over joints. Head of rear joint starting, with cloth fraying, but board holding firm. Front hinge strained and a touch tender. Internally, generally firmly bound, but a touch strained in places. Pages bright, but with instances of concentrated spotting and some foxing throughout. Good