Records of Sport in Southern India; 1892, First Ed.

First edition of ‘Records of Sport in Southern India, chiefly on the Annamullay, Nielgherry and Pulney Mountains. Also including notes on Singapore, Java and Labuan. From journals written between 1844 and 1870 by General Douglas Hamilton, Madras Army.’ Edited by his brother Edward Hamilton. Published in London by R.H. Porter, 18 Princes Street, Cavendish Square in 1892. It includes 21 full-page engraved plates plus numerous text drawings include portraits and illustrations from his original sketches.

Background History:
General Douglas Hamilton (1818 – 1892) represented what we today would see as opposing sides in the environmental debate. He was both a hunter and a conservationist, working in forest conservation in the Anamalli Hills.. A keen recorder of species and habitats, while simultaneously shooting for sport. Hamilton was also given a roving commission to conduct surveys and make drawings of the hill plateaus of South India. This same conundrum means many of the great reserves today were once shooting grounds for maharajas.
These books therefore also provide a record of the landscape and species of the time which is invaluable. "An excellent work on sport in southern India, this provides a mixture of hunting in the jungles and mountains of the region. Hamilton includes chapters on his experience shooting ibex in the hill country, tiger, bison and antelope." (Czech p96)

Condition:
Fair condition, bound in original beige coloured cloth with title and hunting scene in gold and green, with rubbing to both front and back cover. Corners bumped. Leather missing to much of spine and so no title remains here. Heavy foxing to first few pages, and last few pages. Toned throughout. Author’s photograph laid in as frontis piece has come away from binding.