Watership Down

Census claim confirmed. Rex Collings, London 1972 is the true first, preceding the first American edition (Macmillan, New York, 1974) — both are collected, but only the Collings is the first. The American edition is the standing trap on this title: it carries only the 1972 UK copyright date and no title-page date, so it is repeatedly catalogued and sold as 'the 1972 first' (some reference databases even file it under 1972 for this reason). Identify a genuine Macmillan first American printing by the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page and by a jacket back panel carrying British reviews only — later printings add American reviews alongside them — with the price present at the front flap.