A scarce account of Bucheet, a hippopotamus captured as a calf on the White Nile by the British Consul, John Petherick. Its keeper, Ali, hailed from Pontegera, near Cairo and had previously been in Petherick's employ, assisting with the capture. Petherick had long wished to present a hippo to the British Zoological Society. In 1858 he undertook an expedition and captured Bucheet. When Petherick arrived in London, he was disappointed to find that a specimen had already been presented to the Queen and she in turn had presented it to the Zoological Society. He subsequently sold Bucheet to a Mr. G. C. Quick of New York who exhibited the animal as a novelty in a travelling show - freak show - circus - in the United States.
[HIPPOPOTAMUS.] A Full and Interesting Account of the Great Hippopotamus, or River Horse: from the White Nile. By a Distinguished Zoologist. Together with a Large Amount of Information Concerning the Habits and History of this Wonderful Monster, Collated from a Variety of Sources. New York. Printed by S. Booth. 1863. 32pp.
Very rare in the trade. Good + with small corner stain on front wraps, a bit handled. Rear full page engraving intact with small half-v loss as shown, not infringing on the image. Tidemark across text as shown. Hippo vignette featured generously throughout.
The only copy we trace, defective at that, was sold for more than double our asking price.