Rails of the World: A Monograph of the Family Rallidae with a chapter on Fossil Species by Storrs L. Olson by Ripley, S. Dillon

Boston: David R. Godine, 1977. First edition. A fine copy in a near fine dust jacket.. Pp. xiii, 430, 41 color plates of rails from paintings by J. Fenwick Lansdowne, 17 distribution maps, 10 black-and-white photos of rails at rear, 26 black-and-white text-figures in chapter on fossil rails by Storrs L. Olson. One-quarter burgundy-red cloth, spine lettered in gilt and with gilt image of a rail below title, over beige cloth boards, color pictorial dust jacket, sm folio (14 1/4 x 10 1/4 inches). Laid in at the front is the original eight-page prospectus, in color, announcing the volume’s publication. The front page of this prospectus is signed by S. Dillon Ripley, Litchfield, October 1988. A lavishly produced volume describing all species of rails. The family Rallidae includes the coots, rails, and gallinules of the worlds' marshlands. Small call number of the International Crane Foundation on the spine of the dust jacket, plain pocket on the rear endpaper and name stamp of Ron Sauey Memorial Library on the endpapers and top page edge, no other institutional marks to the text or cloth binding. Sauey was co-founder of the International Crane Foundation, Baraboo, Wisconsin.