Arabische Korallen, ein Ausflug nach den Korallenbänken des Rothen Meeres und ein Blick in das Leben der Korallenthiere [Arabian corals, a trip to the Coral Reef of the Red Sea…] by Ernst Haeckel. Berlin: Georg Reimer, 1876 [on the frontispiece lithograph: 1875]. German.
First edition of "Arabian Corals" by the German zoologist, naturalist, philosopher and painter Ernst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel (1834-1919), describing his journey to Egypt and the Red Sea during March-April 1873 and his scientific findings regarding the Coral Reef of the Red Sea.
With six lithographic plates (four of them in color) and twenty in-text woodcut illustrations, all by the author, depicting various species of corals, coral reefs, an Arab tent camp in Sinai, sunset in the Red Sea, and more.
A printed dedication by the author to the governor of Egypt Isma'il Pasha (1830-1895) following the title page.
Mounted on the inside front board is a letter handwritten and signed by Haeckel (German), dated 1897. In the letter Haeckel responds to a suggestion by one of his colleagues to translate to German a study by the British zoologist John Stanley Gardiner: "10 years ago I would have happily taken upon myself this interesting task. Now, unfortunately it is too late! My eyes as well as my other circumstances do not allow me such a methodical task".
[2] ff., 48 pp. + [6] plates, 36 cm. Good-fair condition. Minor stains. Worming (mostly to margins, slightly affecting text and illustrations. The book has been fumigated). Creases and tears to edges of endpapers. Card binding, with worming, blemishes and wear (mostly to edges and corners).