Gulielmus Piso (and others): De Indiæ utriusque re naturali et medica libri 14. Amsterdam: Elzevir 1658.
As., 41 2º

Front cover	Title page

Table of contents	Bontius p. 70: On the dodo that has been extinct since 1681. It was found only in Mauritius and it was hunted to extinction (it was not able to fly)	Piso p. 100: On armadillos	Piso p. 105: On turtles

Illustrated account of fauna and flora in “western and eastern India”, i.e. South America and part of Asia. One of the illustrations above shows the nowadays extinct dodo of the island of Mauritius. Its strange appearance is thoroughly described in the text. However, the major part of the account is of Brazil where the main author, the Dutch doctor and botanist Wilhelm Piso (1611-1678), lived for a long time.
The title page shows the two continents symbolized by human beings (an American Indian and an Asian) and by animals and plants, partly South American (e.g. anteater and sloth), partly Asian (e.g. rhinoceros).
This copy is bound in white vellum, and on the front cover is seen the super exlibris of Bolle Willum Luxdorph (an elephant’s head). Luxdorph (1716-1788) was Privy Councillor and collector of books. His library contained about 15,000 books and 500 manuscripts by the time of his death; it was sold at auction the following year.

35.8 x 22.3 cm.

© Det Kongelige Bibliotek 2003