Nature Notes: A Guide to the Fauna and Flora of a Shanghai Garden.

SOWERBY, Arthur de Carle.

Published by Shanghai: China Journal Publishing Company, Limited, 1939

About this Item

First edition, uncommon in commerce, of this examination of Shanghai's rich urban natural world. The contents, a series of considered reflections on insects and many other forms of life appeared as a series of articles in the North-China Daily News in 1938. A leading naturalist of his day, Sowerby (1885-1954) was born in Taiyuan, Shanxi, to a Baptist missionary. In the early 20th century, he began collecting specimens for the Taiyuan museum of natural history and subsequently joined the zoological Bedford expedition in 1906. Having served with the Chinese Labour Corps during the First World War, he returned to China and settled in Shanghai, where he founded the China Journal of Science and Arts. Octavo. Half-tone frontispiece after photograph of author's garden and 14 plates, illustrations in text; 4 pages advertisements at rear. Original green cloth, spine and front cover lettered in black, boards with black vignettes. With text and vignette portions of dust jacket sometime taped to later paper jacket. Mid-century ink ownership inscription of one Robert Osborne on front free endpaper. Extremities lightly worn, even toning internally: a very good copy.

Seller Inventory # 180150

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Nature Notes: A Guide to the Fauna and Flora of a Shanghai Garden.
• Publisher: Shanghai: China Journal Publishing Company, Limited, 1939
• Edition: 1st Edition