
audiobook
by William Kirby, William Spence
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE - Sir JOSEPH BANKS, Baronet, - ONE OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL, KNIGHT GRAND CROSS OF THE ORDER OF THE BATH, PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY, ETC. WHOSE UNRIVALLED LIBRARY AND PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS HAVE FURNISHED MUCH OF THE MOST INTERESTING MATTER THAT IT CONTAINS, - THE FOLLOWING WORK, - IN WHICH AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO COPY HIS ILLUSTRIOUS EXAMPLE, BY POINTING OUT THE CONNEXION THAT EXISTS BETWEEN NATURAL SCIENCE, AND AGRICULTURE, AND THE ARTS, IS, WITH HIS PERMISSION, MOST GRATEFULLY INSCRIBED BY HIS MOST OBLIGED
ADVERTISEMENT - TO THIS EDITION.
PREFACE.
CONTENTS OF VOL. I.
LETTER I.
LETTER II. - OBJECTIONS ANSWERED.
LETTER III. - METAMORPHOSES OF INSECTS.
LETTER IV. - INJURIES CAUSED BY INSECTS. - DIRECT INJURIES.
LETTER V. - INJURIES CAUSED BY INSECTS. - INDIRECT INJURIES.
LETTER VI. - INJURIES CAUSED BY INSECTS. - INDIRECT INJURIES CONTINUED.
This work opens with a gracious dedication to a leading patron of science, underscoring the authors’ ambition to link the study of insects with agriculture and the broader arts. It also notes the rapid evolution of insect classification, offering readers the most up‑to‑date genera and subgenera so they can follow modern scientific language with confidence.
In the preface, the writers confront the long‑standing prejudice that has kept entomology on the margins of British scholarship, contrasting it with the popularity of botany and other sciences. They argue that the real barrier has been the lack of a clear, affordable introduction, and they set out to fill that gap with a lively, comprehensive guide. Ideal for curious minds, the book promises a rewarding entry point into the fascinating world of insects, presenting essential anatomy, behavior, and ecological roles without overwhelming jargon.
Full title
An Introduction to Entomology: Vol. 1 or Elements of the Natural History of the Insects or Elements of the Natural History of the Insects
Language
en
Duration
~15 hours (904K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Douglas L. Alley, III, Chris Curnow and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
Aug 27, 2013
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1759–1850
A country clergyman who helped turn the study of insects into a serious science, he became one of the best-known naturalists of his age. His lively, influential books opened the world of entomology to generations of readers.
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1783–1860
An early champion of insect study in Britain, this writer helped turn entomology into a subject for curious general readers as well as specialists. His best-known work, written with William Kirby, became one of the landmark introductions to the world of insects.
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