An Epitome of the Natural History of the insects of India and the islands in the Indian seas: comprising upwards of two hundred and fifty figures and descriptions of the most singular and beautiful species, selected chiefly from those recently discovered, and which have not appeared in the works of any preceding author. The figures are accurately drawn, engraved, and coloured, from specimens of the insects; the descriptions are arranged according to the system of Linnæus; with references to the writings of Fabricius, and other systematic authors. by DONOVAN, Edward

London, printed for the author, by T. Bensley, Bolt Court, Fleet Street; and sold by Messrs. Rivingtons, St. Paul's Church Yard; White, Fleet Street Faulder, Bond Street; and H. D. Symonds, Paternoster Row, 1800-[1804]. . First Edition. 4to., [75 (of 76)] pp., 58 fine hand-coloured engraved plates by and after Donovan, many heightened with gum arabic, contemporary red straight-grained morocco gilt, spine lightly faded, all edges gilt, occasional light offsetting to plates but plates generally clean and fresh. The fine plates are, according to the 'advertisement' leaf, drawn largely from specimens in Donovan's own collection. He also acknowledges the help given by Mr. Francillon, Mr. Drury, A.M'Leay and Sir Joseph Banks. Donovan considered this work to be the second volume of what he calls his General Illustration of Entomology. The companion works are therefore . An Epitome...of the Insects of China (1798-99) and An Epitome... of the Insects of New Holland, New Zealand, New Guinea, Otaheite (1805). The present copy lacks the text leaf for Locusta Amboinensis (supplied in photocopy). Nissen ZBI 1144.