Johannes Goedartius de Insectis, In Methodum Redactus; cum Notularum Additione. Opera M. Lister ... Item Appendicis ad Historiam Animalium Angliae ... Altera Edito

Description:

Enlarged Latin edition. Martin Lister (1639-1712) first published an English edition in 1862, based on Dutch naturalist, Johannes Goedaert's treatise on insects (Metamorphosis Naturalis, 3 vols, 1660-1669), with his additional notes. This Latin edition consists of a translation of the English edition with the addition of a revised and enlarged Appendix to his Historiae animalium Angliae tres tractatus (first published 1681). There are a total of 21 engraved plates illustrating 150 species of butterflies and moths, approximately 70 beetles and other insects, many showing the various life stages, and several shells and molluscs. In Philosophical Transactions, 14 (20th Dec., 1684, pp. 833–834) Lister provides an account of the reprinting of Johannes Goedartius de Insectis ..., noting that it includes ‘4 plates more, which I had by me, very exquisitely designed, of the beetles and having not the leisure to transcribe and perfect the Tract which they belonged, I did neither number, nor explain them, and therefore I call mute tables’. Johannes Goedaert (1617-1668), a Dutch naturalist and artist, was one of the earliest authors on entomology, and is best known for his illustrations of the metamorphisis of insects, which were largely based on his own observations and experiments.

Nissen 1606; Horn-Schenkling 13622; Lisney 46, Keynes, 10

Condition

8vo (195x118mm), cont. vellum, raised bands to spine, leather title label, chipped. Small leather label to foot of spine, a few small ink stamps: 'Hautes Etudes Géologie'. Paper browned, occasional spotting. A well-preserved copy.