Paris, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 1829-1832. 4to (27.7 x 21.0 cm). 603 pp.; 54 engraved plates. Contemporary dark blue half calf with gilt title on spine. Marbled endpapers.

Rare first issue of the later published Recherches sur l'anatomie et les métamorphoses de différentes espèces d'insectes, ouvrage posthume publié par W. de Haan (1832). It deals with Isoptera, Lepidoptera, etc. Page and plate numbering is as follows: part I (1828) pp. 233-312, plates 9-15; part II: pp. 379-464, pls. 19-24; part III: pp. 57-131, pls 6-10; part IV: pp. 341-459, pls. 24-39; part VI: 1-241, pls. 1-20. The following plates, however, are double numbered (indicating these are offprints): 1-7, 8-13, 14-18, 19-24 [25-34], [35-54]. We checked against the footnote in Nissen ("Die Numerierung d. Taf. z. T. falsch"), and only five parts were published, those being parts 1-4, 6 (no part 5 was published). One plate a bit spotted, one lacking a small strip of paper on the outer margin, one plate showing a species of Hippocampus (sea horse), which is peculiar. No title page issued as this originates from volumes 18 to 20 of the famous Mémoires du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle. In all a very good, complete copy. Horn-Schenkling, 14274; Nissen ZBI, 2619.