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First edition, published in London in 1840. With an illustration to the title page by William Swainson, engraved by E. Finden SC, showing the beetle 'Erodiscus Corallipes Hope'. There are also a few illustrations within the text. ***Very good in original full leather boards. The spine of the book has five compartments with raised bands. Gilt titles and gilt decorative rules to the spine and edges of the boards, mostly worn away with handling. Gilt tooled edges to the boards. Edges of boards quite worn and rubbed. Spine rubbed. Corners rubbed. Slight loss to the cloth at the head and tail of the spine, with slight splitting at the bottom of the spine. Marbled front and rear endpapers. With a small Foyles label to the front pastedown. Some light foxing to the title page but contents clean. No inscriptions. The first hundred or so pages are lightly bumped at the top corner. Some pages are also bumped lightly at the bottom corner. ***406 pages. 165 mm x 110 mm. ***Contents: There is an interesting note from the publisher at the fore of the book 'Those paragraphs in this volume with the initials W.E.Sh. are written by Mr. Shuckard, and where several of these follow each other they are affixed to the last only; but the system of classification is exclusively Mr. Swainson's. Robert Street, Chelsea, Nov. 1840'. PART I: On the Annulosa generally. Chapter I. On the Annulose Animals in general, with a short Account of the three aberrant Classes of Annelides, Vermes, and Cirrhipedes. ***PART II: On the Winged Insects. Chapter I. On the Ptilota, or four-winged Insects in general, the Characters of the five Orders, and their mutual Relations to other Animals - The Metamorphoses of Insects, Chapter II. The Lepidopters, Chapter III. The Hemiptera, Chapter IV. The Hymenoptera, Chapter V. The Coleoptera generally, Chapter VI. The Lamellicornes, Chapter VII. The Predatores, Chapter VIII. The Capricornes, Chapter IX. The Monilicornes, Chapter X. On the Malacodermes, Chapter XI. On the Neuroptera. ***PART III: On the Apterous Insects. Chapter I. On the Aptera generally, Chapter II. On the Diptera, Arachnidae, Myriapoda, Crustacea and Suctoria. ***'William John Swainson FLS, FRS (8 Oct 1789 - 6 Dec 1855, was an English ornithologist, malacologist, conchologist, entomologist and artist. Swainson was at times quite critical of the works of others and, later in life, others in turn became quite critical of him. Apart from the common and scientific names of many species, it is for the quality of his illustrations that he is best remembered. His friend William Elford Leach, head of zoology at the British Museum, encouraged him to experiment with lithography for his book Zoological Illustrations (1820?23). Swainson became the first illustrator and naturalist to use lithography, which was a relatively cheap means of reproduction and did not require an engraver. He began publishing many illustrated works, mostly serially.' [Wiki] ***Of interest to collectors of antiquarian books on entomology. A scarce book. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc. Seller Inventory # 7171
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Bibliographic Details
Title: ON THE HISTORY AND NATURAL ARRANGEMENT OF ...
Publisher: Longman, Orme, Brown, Green & Longman's / John Taylor, Paternoster Row / Upper Gower Street, London
Publication Date: 1840
Binding: Hardcover
Illustrator: George Cooke [48 hand coloured plates]
Condition: Very Good
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket, as Issued
Edition: First Edition
