BRISSON, Mathurin Jacques. Ornithologie ou Methode Contenant la Division des Oiseaux en Ordres, Sections, Genres, Especes & leurs Varits. Paris: Jean-Baptiste Bauche, 1760. 6 volumes (with supplement bound in volume 6), 4 (265 x 295mm.), titles and text in Latin and French, engraved additional titles by F. N. Martinet, 248 engraved folding plates only (of 261) by Franois-Nicolas Martinet, of which 167 are hand-coloured and 4 part coloured (volume one lacking plates XXVI and XXXIV, short tear to p.24 tabula; volume II lacking plates XVII and XVIII, short tear to margin of plate XXXIV; volume III lacking plates XXIX and XXXI; volume IV lacking plates XVI, XXII, XXIII, XV and XXXIV; volume V lacking plates VIII and XI, occasional very light spotting and browning mainly to margins), contemporary brown calf gilt, spines with raised bands and gilt foliate motifs in compartments, red and green morocco lettering pieces (worn), bookplate with initials "M. A. W.", early autograph plate index to front endpaper of vol. one. FIRST EDITION. Wood 1760: "This is one of the earliest of the Linnean period treatises, in which full descriptions are given of many genera and species of birds. It is a bilingual text-book, Latin predominating over French, of very great importance"; Brunet I, 1262; Nissen IVB 145. (6)