The Aurelian: a wonderful book of British butterflies and moths

Moses Harris book

The Aurelian: a natural history of English moths, and butterflies, together with the figures  of their transformations and of the plants on which they feed, drawn , engraved, and coloured from the natural objects by Moses Harris. New ed., with their systematic names, synonyms, and additional observations upon the habits of the species figured, by John O. Westwood, London :  Bohn, 1840.

This engraving is thought to be a self-portrait of Moses Harris collecting butterflies in a wooded landscape. It is fascinating to see how well dressed he was when collecting as well as being able to see the equipment he used.

Moses Harris was born in 1730 and lived until circa 1788. He was interested in insects from a young age encouraged by an uncle who was a member of the Society of Aurelians, an early organisation for the study of insects. He was an accomplished illustrator depicting many species of butterflies and moths with their associated food plants.

The first edition of the Aurelian was published in 1766 but these images are from the later 4th edition in 1840 with nomenclature by John O. Westwood.

The title page of the 1840, new edition is beautifully decorated.