In the early eighteenth century, the English naturalist Mark Catesby made two extended expeditions to the British colonies in North America in order to observe and document the wildlife there. His second voyage was the more systematic of the two and Catesby made extended excursions in South Carolina, Florida and the Bahamas, observing and illustrating creatures in their natural habitat. He also ensured that he visited places at different seasons so to observe migratory visitors. Catesby also obtained the help of Indigenous guides to assist him in finding animals and to understand the varying medicinal and culinary properties of the native plant-life found in the region.
Catesby's skill at watercolour and the accuracy of his depictions of plants and animals saw him gain the support of such naturalists as Sir Hans Sloane, for whom Catesby brought specimens back on his return to London in 1726. His resulting work, the first on the subject, was The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, issued in parts between 1729 and 1747. It is an extraordinary visual record of the plants, mammals, lizards, snakes, insects, corals, fish and birds that he found on his travels.
This unique copy was purchased by George III in 1768 from the bookseller Thomas Cadell the Elder (1742-1802). It originally contained Catesby's collection of preparatory drawings for his publication, and was bound into three volumes, rather than the usual two, to contain them all. The drawings have now been removed, conserved and mounted and have been replaced in the volumes by facsimiles.