John Edwards Holbrook. North American Herpetology; Or, a Description of the Reptiles Inhabiting the United States. Philadelphia: J. Dobson, 1842. First complete edition of this work (second edition overall). Five quarto volumes. 152; 142; 128; 136; 118, [1, errata] pages. With 145 (of 148) hand-colored lithographic plates inserted throughout. Tissue-guards. Contemporary half brown morocco over marbled boards. Each volume rebacked to style in brown levant morocco, spines lettered in gilt, with brown gilt morocco lettering labels, new endleaves. Boards worn at edges with some occasional chipping, a few spine labels coming up at the corners, Volumes III and IV with some dampstaining throughout, some intermittent foxing in text and plates. Embossed library stamp of The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society on the first text leaf and last text leaf of each volume. Some tissue-guards with edgewear. Overall, a near fine set. Sabin 32454. Nissen Zoology 1980.

"One of the most valuable works on Reptiles published during the nineteenth century." (Dictionary of American Biography). "The first systematic work on the reptiles of the United States ever attempted. The plates are beautifully colored; and the work is worthy of a place in the library of the naturalist by the side of Audubon and Wilson." (Sabin).

This work was first published between 1836 and 1840. By the time that the fourth volume of the first edition was published, Holbrook had become dissatisfied with the entire first edition, and recalled as much of it as he could (he had an easier time recalling the fourth volume, as it had just been published; the earlier volumes were much more difficult for him to find). The second edition had many plates redone, and thirty-six new plates had been added.