The Entomologists Useful Compendium: An introduction to the knowledge of British insects, comprising the means of obtaining and preserving them

Second Hand
Hardback
Published by: Thomas Boys
1st edition. Book Condition: Near Fine.

Octavo dark red full leather binding with 4 raised spine bands and gilt spine borders with gilt titles on green leather label; gilt border to intricately blind tooled boards; brown marbled endpapers and edges to the textblock. Binding solid; lightly rubbed extremities with lightly bumped and worn corners; slight spine fade. Internally exceptionally crisp, clean and bright, with almost no age-toning and very little foxing. The text contains subtle, light, neat pencil notes in an attractive, old hand. Interesting early armorial bookplate to front pastedown. Complete with 13 hand-coloured plates in total, each with its tissue guard: 1 stunning frontispiece plus 12 bound together, each facing an uncoloured copy of the same. Overall Near-Fine. Photos available on request. Scarce 1st edition complete with all plates. A conclusive compendium to the study of British insects, a wonderfully detailed work introducing the reader to the study of entomology. This was an interesting contribution to the science at the time of its publication in Georgian England, looking at many different classes of insects in great detail. George Samouelle was the curator of the British Museum in the Natural History department. Full title: The Entomologists Useful Compendium; or an introduction to the knowledge of British insects, comprising the means of obtaining and preserving them, and a description of the apparatus generally used; together with the genera of linne, and the modern method of arranging the classes crustacea, myriapoda, spiders, mites and insects, from their affinities and structure, according to the views of Dr. Leach. Also an explanation of the terms used in entomology; a calendar of the times of appearance and usual situations of near 3,000 species of British insects; with instructions for collecting and fitting up objects for the microscope.