BELON, P. Les Observations de plusieurs singularitez et choses memorables, trouvées en Grece, Asie, Iudée, Egypte, Arabie, & autres pays estranges, redigées en trois livres. Paris, Gilles Corrozet, 1553. 4to. Leaves (12), 210, (2), with 34 woodcuts, including 2 woodcut maps. 19th century half calf, gilt ornamented spine.

Scarce first edition of this famous account on the Near East, describing and depicting its flora and fauna for the first time. The work became quite popular and several editions appeared untill 1588. Brunet describes the present first edition as: 'Première édition d'un ouvrage qui a été longtemps fort recherché'. Belon is one of the first explorer-naturalists as well as one of the most orginal scientists of the 16th century and greatly enriched biological sciences by new observations. Between 1546 and 1550 he extensively travelled the Near East, visting Greece, Asia, Judaea, Egypt, Arabia and other foreign countries. In the present work he laid down his valuable observations, a publication not only famous for its scientific content, but also for its fine typography.

"Belon was also a talented botanist and recorded the results of his observations in a beautiful work adorned with woodcuts showing, for the FIRST TIME several plants of the near East, including Platanus orientalis, Umbilicus pendulinus, Acacia vera, and Caucalis orientalis. He was more interested in the practical uses of plants than in their scientific descriptions. He also advocated the acclimatization of exotic plants in France... Belon's observations were generally correct. He looked at the world as an analyst devoted to detail. He succeeded in winning the confidence of the great and was famous during his lifetime" (DSB). One small wormwhole towards the end. A very fine copy.
Brunet I, p. 762; Nissen ZBI, 304.