Ordre Naturel des Oursins de Mer et Fossiles, avec des Observations sur les Piquans des Oursins de Mer, et quelques Remarques sur les Bélemnites

Fine engraved frontis. port. of Klein & 28 engraved plates. 3 p.l. (incl. frontis), 233, [1] pp., one leaf of ads. 8vo, fine cont. polished calf, spine nicely gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Paris: C.J.B. Bauche, 1754. [bound with]: -. Doutes ou Observations de Mr. Klein...sur la Revûe des Animaux, faite par le premier Homme, sur quelques Animaux des Classes des Quadrupedes & Amphibies du systême de la Nature, de M. Linnaeus. Et des Remarques sur les Crustacés, sur les Animaux qui ruminent, & sur la Vie de l'Homme, comparée avec celle des Animaux. One folding engraved plate. 2 p.l., 108 pp. 8vo. Paris: J.B. Bauche, 1754. I. First edition in French (1st ed., in Latin: Danzig, 1734) and enlarged. This is "one of the earliest monographic treatments of the sea urchins. It includes descriptions, illustrations, and a classification of both recent and fossil sea urchins...Although altered and enlarged, this work was a major source of information on the Echinoidermata for zoologists and paleontologists throughout the eighteenth century and remained a point of departure in discussions by such early nineteenth century authors as James Parkinson."-D.S.B., VII, p. 401. II. First edition in French (1st ed., in Latin: Leipzig, 1743). This work summarizes Klein's feelings about taxonomic methods. His method was based entirely on external characteristics, such as the number and position of limbs and the mouth. He vigorously opposed any method, including the Linnaean system, based on characters not visible externally. Klein (1685-1759), a leading marine zoologist, "had many and diverse interests in natural history besides sea urchins. He developed a botanical garden in Danzig, founded and directed a naturalist's society there, made extensive collections, and published about two dozen monographs, including studies of birds, fishes, reptiles, and invertebrates other than the sea urchins, particularly the mollusks."-D.S.B. The attractive frontispiece depicts Klein standing in front of his natural history cabinet. A very fine and pretty copy.