Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2000. Quarto, card covers with flaps. pp 298. Colour photos, b&w illustrations, index. Fine copy. "An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles is an authoritative reference in a breathtakingly beautiful volume, one that will leave every reader with a deeper understanding, appreciation, and--yes--fondness for these amazing creatures and their place in nature. In terms of numbers, beetles are the most successful creatures on earth: about 350,000 species of beetles have been described since 1758. They range from tiny to gigantic, occupy sundry habitats, and eat everything--plants, animals, and their own remains. An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles provides an engaging look at these magnificent yet poorly understood creatures and highlights the absolutely essential role they play in the dynamics of nearly every terrestrial ecosystem on Earth. And, as this book beautifully demonstrates, the aesthetics of beetle design are amazing. The fantastic colors and shapes of these creatures warrant the gorgeous color photography lavished on them in this book." 1.5 kg parcel 0520223233

Priceton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2004. Tall squarish octavo, cloth textured card covers (durable). pp xvi, 656. Fine copy. "Garden Insects of North America is the most comprehensive and user-friendly guide to the common insects and mites affecting yard and garden plants in North America. In a manner no previous book has come close to achieving, through full-color photos and concise, clear, scientifically accurate text, it describes the vast majority of species associated with shade trees and shrubs, turfgrass, flowers and ornamental plants, vegetables, and fruits--1, 420 of them, including crickets, katydids, fruit flies, mealybugs, moths, maggots, borers, aphids, ants, bees, and many, many more. For particularly abundant bugs adept at damaging garden plants, management tips are also included. Covering all of the continental United States and Canada, this is the definitive one-volume resource for amateur gardeners, insect lovers, and professional entomologists alike." 2.2 kg parcel. 0691095612

Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1889. Second edition, corrected and enlarged (first was in 1883). Brown cloth. pp [2], 436, [2]. 440 woodcut illustrations, index. Book a bit leaned, with scratches to the front cover; partial crack to front inner hinge; erasure on front pastedown and ink name on front free endpaper; ink ownership inscription on front fly leaf of an Ontario Agricultural College student; yellowing to page edges; else a VG clean and tight copy. "William Saunders, druggist, naturalist, agriculturalist (b at Crediton, Eng 16 June 1836; d at London, Ont 13 Sept 1914). Saunders established the Experimental Farms Service (now Research Branch) of the federal Dept of Agriculture. He moved with his family from England to Canada in 1848 and apprenticed as a druggist, opening his own store in 1855. His concern about insects attacking pharmaceutical plants led him to help found the Entomological Society of Canada in 1863."

University of Toronto Press, 1998. Quarto, white cloth. pp (8), 280. Colour illustrations, maps, index. Corner crease to plates 7-14, else fine in fine jacket. "The Butterflies of Canada is the first comprehensive guide to all the butterflies found in Canada. Based on the national butterfly collection maintained by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, it contains descriptive individual accounts for the close to three hundred butterfly species recorded in Canada, including descriptions of early stages, subspecies, and key features that help distinguish similar species. Each species of butterfly has an individual distribution map, generated from a database of more than 90,000 location records. More than just a field guide to identifying Canadian butterflies, however, The Butterflies of Canada includes chapters on Canadian geography and butterfly distribution, conservation, gardening, photography, and the history of butterfly study in Canada. It also contains new and unpublished information on the classification of butterflies, their ranges, larval food plants, abundance, flight seasons, and noteworthy habits. Thirty two colour plates provide diagnostic details for each species, and also feature butterflies in their natural habitats. There is an extensive bibliography." 2 kg parcel. 0802008984