Artefact of the month - March 2011 Literature about exploration and discovery

ZSL Library contains what may be a surprising amount of literature relating to exploration and discovery. Often these publications outline the first encounters with new species and some contain detailed first descriptions. Hence they make a valuable contribution to our overall zoological knowledge. It seems particularly appropriate to be featuring this literature when this month we celebrate World Book Night and World Book Day as well as Climate Week.

Books featured in this image from left to right :
The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle… edited and superintended by Charles Darwin. Part IV Fish by Leonard Jenyns, London, 1842
A voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Vol. I written by Captain James Cook, 2nd ed., London, 1785
Missionary travels and researches in South Africa by David Livingstone, London, 1857
Voyage autour du monde, par la frégate du roi La Boudeuse, et la flûte l'Étoile en 1766, 1767, 1768 & 1769, [par de Bougainville] Paris, 1771.
Himalayan journals or, notes of a naturalist … Vol I by Joseph Dalton Hooker, London, 1854
Lachesis Lapponica, or a tour in Lapland… from the original manuscript journal of the celebrated Linnaeus; Vol. 1 by James Edward Smit, London, 1811

Open books featured in this image from left to right:
Naturalist on the river Amazon Vol I by Henry Walter Bates, London, 1863
The Malay Archipelago, Vol. II by Alfred Russel Wallace, London, 1869
Map of South America in the foreground from Journal of researches into the geology and natural history of the various countries visited by H.M.S. Beagle… by Charles Darwin, London, 1839

Previous 'Artefacts' featuring the literature of exploration include Sir Joseph Banks & the voyage of H.M.S. Endeavour Artefact of the month - March 2010 ; Darwin's journal from the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle Artefact of the month - March 2009 ; Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle Artefact of the month - March 2008 ; Voyages of Captain Cook Artefact of the month - March 2007 ; Natural history on the River Amazon by Henry Walter Bates Artefact of the month - June 2007 .