The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle

Published in five parts between 1839 and 1843, and reissued here in three volumes, this work showcases the zoological specimens and fossils collected during Charles Darwin's momentous voyage of discovery. Acting as the overall editor, Darwin (1809–82) enlisted a group of naturalists to assist with the task of identifying and describing the species. Each man contributed a particular section according to his expertise. Volume 2 comprises Part 3 (1841), in which the ornithologist John Gould (1804–81) describes the birds that Darwin collected. Gould's work benefited from remarks and corrections by George R. Gray (1808–72), who was responsible for the British Museum's bird collection. The fifty beautiful illustrations, based on sketches by Gould, are presented here in full colour. Most notable are the plates of the birds that later became known as 'Darwin's finches', as these Galapagos species lent support to his theory of evolution.