Joseph Gumilla - Historia natural civil y geografica de las naciones situadas en las riveras del rio orinoco - 1791

Work in 2 volumes, complete. Volume I: Title page, author portrait, 1 folded map, 360 pages, 4 plates. Volume II: 2 sheets, 352 pages, 2 plates. Antique quarter leather binding with gold details on the spine. Signs of wear and some other water stains shown in the photos.
Joseph Gumilla was a Jesuit missionary, who arrived in America in 1705. His notes on the natural history of the Orinoco served for a long time as the necessary reference for all scientists interested in the nature of the intertropical area, including Alexander von Humboldt and many other travellers of the 19th century. He especially researched the fauna and flora of the Orinoco, drawing maps and sketches in his works.