A Natural History of British Moths: Accurately Delineating Every Known Species, with the English as well as Scientific Names, Accompanied by Full Descriptions, Date of Appearance, List of Localities They Haunt, Their Food in the Caterpillar State, And Other Features of Their Habits and Modes of Existence, Etc., Etc.

London: John C. Nimmo , 1891. Cloth. Very Good. 10" by 6.5". Not Stated. A scarce set of works on the identification and habits of British moths. Illustrated with numerous hand-painted plates. The scarce third edition. Held institutionally in only one UK library. Complete in four volumes. Uniformly bound in the publisher's original, full cloth binding with pictorial gilt detail. With one hundred and thirty-two plates containing nearly two thousand specimens, all coloured by hand. Collated complete. An interesting and informative work on the natural history of British moths. With helpful information regarding their identification, habitats, their food, habits and more. Francis Orpen Morris was an Anglo-Irish clergyman and naturalist who published numerous works on natural history and heritage buildings. He was a leading figure in the movement to protect birds from the plume trade, a movement which ultimately resulted in the formation of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. With a publisher's advertising pamphlet tipped in to the front free endpaper of volume one. Each volume has a neat ink signature from the previous owner, to the front free endpaper. The half title pages are present. In the publisher's original full cloth binding. Externally, smart with some shelf wear to the extremities. Marks to the boards. Slight darkening to spines. Spotting to the reverse of the free endpapers. Internally, binding slightly strained but still firm. Pages age-toned to the edges but otherwise bright and clean with the odd spot and handling mark throughout. Spotting heavier to the front and rear blanks and to the half title page. Previous owner's ink inscription to the front blank of each volume. Very Good