Illustrations of British Entomology. Mandibulata Vol. I-VII [and] Haustellata. Vol. I-IV [and] Supplement
- Publisher : Baldwin and Craddock/Henry G. Bohn
- Published In : London
- Illustrations : 95 hand-col engraved plates
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 (15 plates).
Nissen ZBI, 3994; Horn-Schenkling, 21375.
James Francis Stephens (1792-1852) was an English entomologist. This, his major work, was in competition with John Curtis’ 'British Entomology' (1824-1839), and this gave rise to an acrimonious dispute which split the British entomological establishment into opposing factions for over thirty years. (Loosely inserted at the rear of the first volume is a reprint of a 10-page article by Stephens from 'Mag. Nat. Hist' Vol. IV (1831) entitled, 'Reply to Mr. Davis's Animadversions upon the recent Method of publishing his Illustrations of British Entomology', in which the author refutes in detail 'the calumnies' from the 'factious pen of Mr. Davis').
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 bound in 10, roy. 8vo, cont. green half morocco, gilt, teg, rubbed/scuffed with some minor wear to spines corners and joints; several volumes professionally refixed in bindings. Some minor scattered spotting. Very good set.
Provenance: Bookplates of T. Vernon Wollaston (1822-1878), a prominent English entomologist who wrote a number of books and papers on the Coleoptera of the North Atlantic islands, including a major work on the Coleoptera of Madeira (Insecta Maderensia, 1854).