British Entomology

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British Entomology is a classic work of entomology by John Curtis, F.L.S.

A plate from British Entomology
A plate from British Entomology

Described as British Entomology, being illustrations and descriptions of the genera of insects found in Great Britain and Ireland; containing coloured figures from nature of the most rare and beautiful species, and in many instances of the plants upon which they are found, this, often 8 but sometimes 16 volume (each consisting of 12 parts) masterwork consists of 193 folios, amounting to 770 coloured plates. Published in London by the author, it commenced in 1824, with the final part appearing in 1839. A second edition was published from 1829-1840.

It is a masterpiece of the engraver's and colourist's art, described by the eminent French naturalist Georges Cuvier as the "paragon of perfection". It was, unsystematically, produced in monthly parts though these are usually bound in systematic, not date order. Each plate is dated, so this introduces no problems of name priority. The 769 drawings were purchased by Lord Rothschild and later bequeathed to the Natural History Museum, London.

Aside from its noted illustrations, British Entomology is a work of taxonomy introducing many new species. This is especially true of the folios on Diptera and Hymenoptera where much of the text and probably many of the dissection figures were the work of Alexander Henry Haliday.

The volumes are most commonly bound as

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