Versuch einer Naturgeschichte von Chili
By: Von Abbé J. Ignatz Molina. Aus dem Italiänischen übersetzt
Publisher: bey Friedrich Gotthold Jacobäer.
Published: 1786
Place of publication: Leipzig
Language: ger
Number of pages: 328
Subjects: Description and travel; Natural history; Mapuche Indians; Mapuche language; Indians of South America; Indian linguistics
Work titles: Saggio sulla storia naturale del Chili
Notes: Translation, by Joachim Dietrich Brandis, of: Saggio sulla storia naturale del Chili. Bologna, 1782.

Original work in Italian is an extended version of the natural history section of the author's: Compendio della storia geografica, naturale e civile del regno del Chile. Bologna, 1776; translated into German under under the title: Des Herrn Abts Vidaure Kurzgefasste geographische, natürliche und bürgerliche Geschichte des Königreichs Chile. Hamburg, 1782.

Two issues or states are known: 1), represented by the copy described and that at BMNH, lacks the indication of the translator as well as the privilege given by the Elector of Saxony on the title page and also lacks the translator's preface (2 preliminary pages); 2), represented by most of the copies reported, has the translator's name and his academic degree as well as the Electoral privilege mentioned on the title page, and it also includes an additional leaf with the translator's preface, inserted between the title leaf and the first page of the author's preface.

Text in German; diagnoses of taxa of animals, plants and minerals in Latin.

Signatures: * A-U X (*1 verso blank)

Map unnumbered; its cartouche has wording in German, while the names on the map itself are in Italian.

Cf. Streit, R. Bib. missionum 3: 1082; Sabin 49892; Backer-Sommervogel 5: col. 1165 (no. 4); Palau y Dulcet 174561; Palmer, P.M. German works on America p. 360; Engelmann, W. Bib. historico-naturalis p. 109; Stafleu & Cowan 2606.

Text divided into four books: "Erstes Buch. Lage, Meteore und Clima von Chili." (p. [1]-34); "Zweytes Buch. Wasser, Erden, Salze, brennbare Körper und Metalle von Chile." (p. 35-98); "Drittes Buch. Kräuter, Sträucher und Bäume von Chili." (p. 99-170); "Viertes Buch. Würmer, Insekten, Amphibien, Fische, Vögel und vierfüssige Thiere von Chili." (p. 171-328)

The fourth book includes two catalogs: "Erstes Verzeichniss der neuen Gattungen, die in diesem Versuch beschrieben sind, nach dem Linnéischen System geordnet." (p. 302-318); "Zweytes Verzeichniss einiger chilesischen Wörter, welche zur Naturgeschichte gehören." (p. 319-328),  includes vocabulary in Mapuche.

Includes bibliographical references.

Brown, J.C. Cat., 1493-1800, 3: 3085.

BMNH 3: p. 1334.