Lot 158
Cuvier, Baron Georges -- Autograph Manuscript (1769-1832) French naturalist and zoologist who established the sciences of comparative anatomy and paleontology. Autograph manuscript unsigned, one page, 9½ x 7", no place, no date. Headed in English, "Spotted opossum. Philips voy. to new south wales. p.: 147." The body of the manuscript is in French. Partial translation: "note of what is not in the French translation…No. 1. The tail is 9 or 10 inches. It is covered the space of an inch or an inch and a half with hair which is no longer than that of the body. The rest has [hair] that resembles that of the squirrel." A line divides this observation from the following one: "in the description of the opossum belonging to J. Harte, which is found on p. 148 and 149: the body is 18 inches long, without the tail which is 12 [inches]….There are two incisors in the front… and two inside. The testicles are enclosed in a scrotum which hangs between the thighs as in the opossum." Written on laid paper, with a few contemporary ink blotches and a holograph correction; one small mounting remnant in lower left corner. Boldly penned. Estimate $400 - 600
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| Realized $94 |
