Illustrations of British Entomology. Mandibulata Vol. I-VII [and] Haustellata. Vol. I-IV [and] Supplement

Description:

Scarce complete set with fine hand-coloured, engraved plates by C.M. Curtis and J.O. Westwood. Mandibulata in 7 vols (39 plates), Haustellata in 4 vols (41 plates), plus Supplement (17 plates).

James Francis Stephens (1792-1852) was an English entomologist. Charles Darwin, while a student at the University of Cambridge sent Stephens records of some of the insects he had collected, and was delighted when his contributions were credited in 33 entries, quoting his words in all but two of the cases. Haustellata, Vol. II, p. 200 records the occurrence of the common noctuid moth Graphiphora plecta at Cambridge, and the publishing date for this part is June 1st 1829. Since the record is given in quotation marks it makes it the first publication by Darwin in a book. (Freeman, 1977, pp19-20). Darwin recalled in his autobiography "No poet ever felt more delight at seeing his first poem published than I did at seeing in Stephen's Illustrations of British Insects the magic words, 'captured by C. Darwin, Esq.'"

Condition

12 vols, roy. 8vo, cont. qtr leather, marbled boards, heavily scuffed, worn, spines fragile with some loss to head or foot; several joints partly split to top or bottom. Haustellata, Plate 5 (Albin's Hampstead Eye) has been inserted from another copy, cut slightly shorter than the other plates and with a library ink stamp to verso. Some scattered foxing to one volume, otherwise contents good, and plates clean.