Hand Coloured plate illustrations.

A History of British Butterflies by the Reverend F. O. Morris was first published in 1853 and is a comprehensive and classic work on the butterflies of Britain. As a clergyman with a deep interest in natural history, Morris combined his knowledge of entomology with a keen eye for detail, offering a detailed exploration of the butterflies native to the British Isles.

The book provides an extensive overview of British butterflies, including detailed descriptions of each species, their habits, habitats, and life cycles. Morris also discusses the various stages of the butterflies’ lives, from eggs to larvae to adult butterflies, offering insights into their development and behavior. The text is rich with beautiful, hand-colored illustrations, which were an essential feature of the original edition and remain an important part of the book’s charm.

Morris’s work is not only a guide to butterfly identification but also an early contribution to the study of British lepidoptery, reflecting the growing interest in natural history during the Victorian era. A History of British Butterflies is notable for its thoroughness, combining both scientific observation and a passion for the natural world. It remains an influential work in the history of British entomology and is still appreciated by nature enthusiasts, collectors, and historians today.