206pp, colour chromolithograph plate frontispiece, [2pp] publisher's ads. Brown pictorial cloth-covered boards; black titles on front, gilt titles on spine; bevelled edges. 16mo. Sun-faded spine. Rubbed spine ends; small tear at spine head. Rounding to corners, cloth wearing. Wear and rubbing to boards. Water stain on lower rear corner; affecting pastedown. Dusty top text block edge, remaining edges tanned and just starting to fox. Endpapers tanned and foxed. Gutter stretched at page 16; volume quite loose. Previous owner's name on half-title page. Otherwise, neat, clean and bright; barring some signs of use on early pages. Multiple black and white illustrations, mostly in text. Decorative initial letters.
A collection of animal tales, first published in 1876, = charming, illustrated stories about various canines, exploring their behaviours and relationships with each other and with humans.
