The Natural History of British Insects; Explaining Them in Their Several States, with The Periods of Their Transformations, Their Food, Economy, Etc. Together with The History of Such Minute Insects as Require Investigations By Coloured Figures, Designed and Executed from Living Specimens. **Volume XIV Only**

London: Printed for the Author, and for F.C.and J. Rivington, No. 62, St. Paul’s Church-yard, 1810 First edition. Hard cover, 4to, (measuring 6 X 9 1/2 inches,) finely bound in three-quarter morocco over marbled paper-covered boards, rolled with gilt banding of small floral sprigs; the spine in 6 gilt compartments containing the title, volume number (14) and four geometric decorative motifs. 90 pp., complete with 36 beautiful hand-colored plates, Nos. 469-504, and indexes. Signed "Charles F. Hutchinson in old ink to title page; his monogram, featuring a rooster, is stamped in goldish ink to front pastedown. Condition: Very Good. The exterior marbled boards are quite rubbed, and there are some scuff marks along the spine and at head and foot. Two minute holes of insect damage near foot. However, the volume is otherwise sound. There is minor staining on pastedown corners where old polish has bled (?) The tissue guards are foxed and this has led to some offset on the facing pages of text; the plates are not affected. Pages not facing the tissue remain clear and bright. Binding is firm. ** The thirty six color plates (Nos.469-504) in this volume comprise Donovan's engravings of various moths, bees, wasps, moths and beetles and more, described by their Latin and English names, classified by the Linnaean system, with sometimes elaborate descriptions of their habitat and discovery. (Notable is Plate 469, the Sphinx Druræi, or Drury's Hawk Moth, whose introduction to Britain is surmised to trace back to eggs brought back on a ship from an entamological exploration of the 1780's.) Hand-painted by the Author and his workshop, these plates are fine miniature works of art in themselves, taken from the collections of his contemporaries, or purchased through auction. His process has been described thus: "Donovan often used thick paints, burnished highlights, albumen overglazes and metallic paints. These covered the engravings, from his own copper plates. Donovan personally undertook all steps of the illustration process for his books, the drawing, the etching and engraving and the hand colouring, working with a team of several employees… the fineness of his engraving and etching is apparent giving his illustrations the appearance of being watercolours." **Irish-born Edward Donovan (1768- 1837) Author and Artist, spent his career producing beautifully illustrated natural history works. This First Edition volume is one of a set of sixteen on British Insects, published between 1792 and 1813.. Ownership signature of Charles F. Hutchinson. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good. Illus. by Edward Donovan, et al.: engraver, painter.