Darwin, Charles.

Second edition. 8vo. pp. xvi, 300, 32 (ads.); wood-engraved illusts.; slightly shaken in the original green cloth, gilt, a few minor marks, ex libris Chichester Library Society with their bookplate at front and rules at rear, contemporary pencilled annotations to title-page and occasionally to margins, evidence of label to foot of spine.

Freeman 801. Though this volume did not sell well - the first edition had appeared 1862 - it offered a wealth of detailed investigation, by means of which Darwin aimed to illuminate the theory of evolution. As Darwin expressed it in a letter to his publisher, “I think this little volume will do good to the ‘Origin [of Species]’, as it will show that I have worked hard at details”. This copy has an amusing annotation to the title-page: orchids are glossed as “a tubular contractile weed of unpleasant aspect & coarse habits”, a reptile among flowers and Satan’s buttonhole”!