Bird Atlas of Natal by Digby Cyrus & Nigel Robson

Bird Atlas of Natal (Signed by Both Authors and the Illustrator)

The Landmark Distribution Atlas of Natal's Birds, Signed by Cyrus, Robson and Clarkson

Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: Bird Atlas of Natal
• Authors: Digby Cyrus & Nigel Robson
• Publisher: University of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg
• Publication Date: 1980
• ISBN-10: 0869802151
• Edition Details: Published by the University of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg, 1980. Signed on the title page by authors Digby Cyrus and Nigel Robson and by illustrator Tony Clarkson.
• Binding: Publisher's dark cloth hardcover, lettered at the foot of the spine (U.N. Press), with printed illustrated dust jacket.
• Physical Format: Large quarto hardcover. With a distribution map and a line drawing of the bird for each species, and green endpaper maps.
• Language: English

Official Condition Report

• The Book: Very Good (VG)
• Exterior / Boards: The plain dark blue-black cloth boards are clean, square and tight, with only a few tiny pale specks.
• Interior: The pages are clean and bright, with a few tiny marks on the copyright page. The binding is tight. The front pastedown maps in green (altitude and vegetation) are present and clean. The text pages sampled are free of marking.
• Provenance: The title page carries three ink signatures beneath the printed names: one apparently by Digby Cyrus, one reading Robson and one reading Clarkson.
• The Dust Jacket: Present. The orange and black illustrated jacket shows toning and yellowing, some soft rubbing, light spotting, faint marks and discolouration to the back panel, small wear at the head of the spine and light edge wear. The spine is sunned. The front flap carries the author biographies. The jacket is protected in a durable archival-type plastic cover.

Synopsis & Historical Value

Published in 1980 by the University of Natal Press, Bird Atlas of Natal presents the results of fieldwork carried out in the province between 1970 and 1979. For each species a grid of squares carries a ringed symbol showing where and how often the bird was recorded. Short notes on range, habitat and breeding accompany a line drawing by Tony Clarkson.

The atlas was reviewed in British Birds and in Ibis, and it is cited widely in later South African bird literature. Its checklist data are credited with adding a number of new species to the provincial list, making it a foundation work for the ornithology of what is now KwaZulu-Natal.

This copy is signed on the title page by both authors and by the illustrator, which adds a personal link to a standard reference work. It will appeal to birders, Africana collectors and students of Natal natural history.