First edition, first printing. x, 374, [2]pp, for portrait plate frontispiece and further black and white illustrations in text. Blue publisher's cloth-covered boards, decorated with printed elephant, gilt lettering front and spine. Top edge gilt, remaining edges deckled. 8vo. Cloth worn and dull, rubbed and rounded at corners and spine ends, some minor indentations on edges. Endpapers heavily toned, with some minor toning on first and last few true leaves. Gift inscription, dated 1898, inked on half title page. Some pages uncut.
Abraham Dee Bartlett 91812-1897) was taxidermist, a popular expert on captive animals and Superintendent of London Zoo (although he lost some of his popularity after deciding to sell the African Elephant, Jumbo, to circus man P T Barnum for £2000 in 1860).
