The River-Side Naturalist: Notes of the Various Forms of Life Met With Either In, On, or By The Water, or In Its Immediate Vicinity.

First edition of Hamilton's work on riverside flora and fauna. Octavo, bound in full polished calf with elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, double gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panel, central gilt insignia of Haileybury College, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges marbled, illustrated with numerous wood-cuts. In near fine condition with light rubbing to the extremities. Bookplate. "These notes, now considerably enlarged and with many new illustrations, were originally published in the Fishing Gazette under the title "What We See When We Go a-Fishing," and were suggested by the following circumstance: One fine September morning, on grayling-fishing intent, when about to commence operations upon a very famous shallow of a very famous river, a flight of goldfinches on their autumn migration flew over our heads and settled on a bunch of thistles on the opposite bank. On calling our friend's attention to these beautiful birds, we found that he was almost entirely ignorant of the various forms of animal life so constantly met with where water abounds; and from some further remarks made by him on the subject, we ventured into print" (Author's Introduction).…