Synopsis of the Natural History of Great Britain and Ireland. Containing a Systematic Arrangement and Concise Description of all the Animals, Vegetables, and Fossils, Which Have Hiterto Beeen Discovered in These Kingdoms. Vol. I-II

Description:

3rd editon, corrected and considerably enlarged. Vol. I: Comprehending the Animal and Fossil Kingdoms; Vol. II: Comprehending the Vegetable Kingdom. Vol. I without half-title and blank leaf A2b called for by Lisney. Vol. II, page 338 is misnumbered 354, from which the pagianation continues to the end of the book. [Lisney: 272 & 275].

John Berkenhout (1726–1791) was a physician, writer, and scholar. He had a wide knowledge of medicine, natural science and the classics and wrote on a variety of subjects including natural history. This work was originally published under the title 'Outlines of the Natural History of Great Britain' (1769-1770) and ran to three editions. It is his only work containing reference to entomology. 'At the time of publication this was undoubtedly an authoritative treatise on the British fauna and flora, giving under the Linnean and English names of each species a clear concise desciption together with the type of locality in which it could be found. In the section dealing with Lepidoptera details of the larvae and food plants are also given.' (Lisney, 1960)

Condition

2 vols, 8vo, orig. publisher's boards, recased and rebacked with matching spines, and new printed paper title-pieces, some wear to corners, boards lightly soiled; pages uncut. From the library of Paul Sokoloff with his book-plates.