340 pages; 210 b&w illustrations by Giacomelli; translated to English from the original French. In its time described as "an exquisite specimen of book-making"; "grace of style, beauty of description, and suggestiveness of sentiment"; "no dry treatise of natural history". One of a trilogy that includes The Sea and The Insect, which Michelet accomplished with his wife. The author writes alluringly about several species of birds, their habitat, their habits. Hector Giacomelli's numerous illustrations from etchings are terrific. Text block very clean and tight; boards and spine detached from the text in a single piece.Spine faded to dull; gilt embossed decoration on the front board is bright.