Fauna Orcadensis: or, the Natural History of the Quadrupeds, Birds, Reptiles, and Fishes of Orkney and Shetland The Rev. George Low Natural History,Scottish Interest

4to, xx + pp230. Hardcover issued without dust jacket. Handsomely rebound with brown calf leather spine with gilt titles and 5 raised bands over marbled boards in excellent near fine condition. Inside all rough cut pages in very good condition for their age with a little mottling around edges and the very odd spot of foxing. George Low (1746-1795) was a tutor in Stromness, and later ordained minister of Birsay and Harray in Orkney in 1774. When Sir Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander arrived at Orkney on their return from the last and ill-fated voyage of Captain Cook, Low was asked to accompany them on their excursions around the Orkney and Shetland Islands. Banks introduced him to Thomas Pennant, and it was with Pennant's assistance that Low was able to classify the fauna of the islands. Low died in 1795 and the work was eventually edited and published by William Elford Leach, who provides a note on the circumstances regarding the work's publication. A lovely copy of a scarce first edition.