Monograph of the British Aphides

Description:

Royal College of Chemistry in London and was a keen entomologist. The introduction states “when the subject of the British Aphides was pressed on the attention of the Author by an old friend and competent Entomologist, it was believed that what had to be said could be comprised in a small compass…the anticipated single volume has considerably swelled its dimensions’, and was published in four volumes. To illustrate the work Buckton used a camera lucida and used ‘living insects only for figuring’ which were ‘generally first stupefied with vapour of chloroform’ to produce a series of fine lithographic plates.

Condition

4 vols, 8vo, orig. cloth, gilt. Vol. 1 spine and front board detached; vol. 2 with split to top and bottom of rear joint, nick to top of spine; some other minor wear to joints + corners of all volumes. Spines slightly faded. Contents clean and firm. Book-plates of the British zoologist William Lutley Sclater (1863-1944) and the publisher Basil Harley.