Essai sur l'Histoire naturelle des Corallines,... qu'on trouve communement sur les Cotes de la Grande-Bretagne et d'Irlande; Auquel on a joint une Description d'un Grand Polype de Mer, pris aupres du Pole Arctique, par des Pecheurs de Baleine, pendant l'E

Description:

French edition, translated from the original English edition of 1755. The first work to state the animal nature of corals, which had previously been regarded as marine plants. Although unsigned, some of the plates are after drawings by Ehret.

John Ellis (c. 1710-1776) was a pioneering zoologist and microscopist who established the animal nature of zoophytes and laid the foundation of marine biology in Britain and Europe. Another important contribution to science was his study of micro-organisms led him to conclude that they caused putrefaction—some eighty years before Pasteur, to whom the discovery is usually attributed. He and James Badenach concurred that micro-organisms might also cause disease: they were perhaps the first in the world to reach this conclusion but their ideas were unpublished and overlooked.

His two longest books, ‘Natural History of the Corallines’ (1755; French and Dutch edns, 1756; pirated German edn, 1767) and the posthumous ‘Natural History of Zoophytes’ (1786, partly written by Solander), were seminal. Ellis's zoophyte descriptions and professionally drawn engravings were outstanding.

Following the deaths of both Ellis and Solander, Ellis’ daughter, Martha Watt, enlisted Sir Joseph Banks's help to retrieve the manuscript of the 'Natural History of Zoophytes' from Solander's effects at the Swedish embassy, and ensured publication. (ODNB)

Nissen ZBI, 1281; ODNB.

Condition

4to, cont. full calf, sympathetically rebacked, raised bands, gilt decoration to spine compartments and leather title piece, corners repaired. Some light foxing. Old light stain to bottom margin of pp. ix-xvi (Table des Matieres). Some contemporary ink marginalia throughout, including to some of the plates. Very good copy in attractive binding.