Batrachia and Reptilia of Costa Rica with Notes on the Herpetology and Ichthyology of Nicaragua and Peru

Pp. (2), 93-187, (1, explanation of plates); 6 full page black-and-white lithographed plates.  Original one-half black leather over black cloth-covered boards, front cover with gilt border decorations and with black leather title/author label outlined by gilt decorations, sm folio (13 x 10 inches; 33.5 x 23.5 cm).  This is the very rare privately printed first edition that was limited to 50 copies only.  In this work, Cope describes 37 new species and 5 new genera of reptiles and amphibians from Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Peru.  In 1877 this same work was re-published in the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences.  The monograph contains four separate papers by Cope -- Article 4: On the Batrachia and Reptilia of Costa Rica + Article 5: On the Batrachia and Reptilia collected by D. John M. Branford during the Nicaraguan Canal Survey of 1874 + Article 6: Report on the Reptiles brought by Professor James Orton from the middle and upper Amazon, and western Peru + Article 8: Note on the Ichthyology of Lake Titicaca.  On the front endpaper there is a pencil signature attached: “From Prof. Amos P. Brown, H. W. Fowler.”  Amos P. Brown was a Professor of Mineralogy and Geology at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.  H. W. Fowler was a professor at the University of California, Museum of Paleontology.  Laid in at front is a 3x5 inch card with a note in ink reading: “Cope’s own personal volume presented to Robert Sutcliffe of Fairfield on August 2, 1949 by Cope’s Grandniece, Mrs. Sangree.  Rare, ANSP lacks a copy, another copy in Library of Congress”.  As this work was limited to 50 copies only, printed privately by and for Edward Cope, it seldom comes up for sale.