2 volumes, 4to (292 x 229 mm). Half-titles; 101 hand-colored lithographic plates by Mary Peart, Edward A. Ketterer and others, many colored by Mrs Lydia Bowen or Mrs Leslie. Publisher's deluxe? half green morocco gilt, spines in 6 compartments with 5 raised bands, gilt-lettering in 2, others gilt framed, all edges gilt. Provenance: Sage Public Library, West Bay, MI (bookplate).

A mixed set (vol. I was first published in 1874 and reprinted here in 1888; vol. II is a first edition) of "one of the finest contributions to the biology of insects that have come from the United States. Edwards paid great attention to the life histories of the insects treated, every stage being described and discussed" (DAB). Volume I includes Edwards' Synopsis of North American Butterflies and volume II the List of Species of the Diurnal Lepidoptera of America. A third volume was published in 1897, in which in the preface Edwards acknowledges the contribution in lithographing and hand-coloring the plates made by Mary Peart, Lydia Bowen and her sister Mrs Leslie. A BRIGHT SET. BM(NH) II, 512; Nissen ZBI 1234.