Date based on form of publisher's name. Cf. Topp, Chester. Victorian yellowbacks & paperbacks, Vol. IV.

Includes "Introduction." dated 1865: p. [5]-6.

At head of cover title: "Household books. Country & sea-side library.".

Includes "Index.": p. [139]-140.

Publisher's advertisements on p. [1-4] at end.

Colour plates are unsigned and without imprint.

Plates [1-2] include some hand-colouring.

Plates were possibly printed by Bradbury and Evans. The process of nature printing was patented by Bradbury and Evans in 1853. Cf. Wakeman, Geoffrey. Bradbury & Evans colour printers, 1984.

First edition was issued August 5, 1865. Also issued in cloth by Frederick Warne and Co. around September 23, 1865. Reissued in 1881. Cf. Topp, p. 2.

With the same setting of type as the August and September 1865 issues of this title. Nature printed plates [1-5] are also the same (with some differences in colour and hand-colouring) as plates [7], [1], [4], [2] and [5] in the August 1865 issue and plates [1], [3-4] and [6-7] in the September 1865 issue. See McLean D 0226 and McLean D 0227.

Nature printed plates [2], [4-5], [1] and [3] are the same (with some slight differences in colour and hand-colouring) as plates [1], [3], [6] and [8-9] used in an [1881] edition of this title published by Frederick Warne and Co. See McLean D 0229.

"One shilling"--Cover.

MASS copy: Bound in blue paper-covered boards printed with the same design as that used on McLean D 0226. Wood-engraved on the upper cover in red, green and black with the titling and illustration similar to those within the text. Lower cover printed in black with publisher's advertisements. All sides of upper and lower endpapers printed with publisher's advertisements. Upper cover with ownership inscription: "[R. Hamelle?]".