James Burney prepared the most thorough early history of South Seas exploration in A Chronological History of the Discoveries in the South Sea or Pacific Ocean. This is a five-volume set published between 1803 and 1817. The first volume starts with the earliest discoveries and runs through Sir Francis Drake's journey. The final volume covers the period 1726-1764, in other words, almost to but not including the first of Captain Cook's expeditions. Item 20. £13,500 (US $24,190).

Among the botanical and zoological books, there is Daniel Elliot's A Monograph of the Phasianidae or Family of the Pheasants. Daniel Elliot was one of America's leading ornithologists when this two-volume book was published in 1870-1872. Item 37. £95,000 (US $170,230). Item 34 is by Dru Drury, Illustrations of Natural History. Wherein are exhibited upwards of two hundred and forty of exotic insects… Along with describing and providing illustrations of the insects (by Moses Harris), Drury writes about their potential use in medicine and other purposes. £8,000 (US $14,337). Item 4 is Henry Andrews' The Botanist's Repository, for New, and Rare Plants... These are the first six (of ten) volumes of this 1797 work that focused on plants that had been introduced to England. £7,500 (US $13,445). Item 70 is The Universal Conchologist, by Thomas Martyn. The author used specimens from various collections as well as those brought back from returning 18th century South Seas explorations to create his illustrations of seashells. £19,500 (US $34,946). Item 100 is Johann Schaeffer's Fungorum qui in Bavaria et Palatinatu... This four-volume set from 1762-1780 provides illustration of fungi found by this Bavarian botanist. £12,500 (US $22,400).

Bernard J. Shapero Rare Books has a website at www.shapero.com and their phone number is +44 (0)20 7493 0876.