Georgia Insects

'The Natural History of the Rarer Lepidopterous Insects of Georgia' is a 2 volume set published in 1797. It was the first illustrated work on American insects and both books are online at the Missouri Botanical Gardens website.

The notional author is the founder and first President of the Linnean Society, Sir James Edward Smith. But the 104 illustrations between the 2 books and much of the text actually derives from the watercolours and notes of John Abbott (see previous post with the original illustrations). Abbott moved to America from England when he was 22 years old and devoted the rest of his life to studying and painting the insects and birds of Georgia.