Text and plates printed by Benjamin Fawcett. Originally published in 18 parts at 1s, 1 Jan. 1852 to 1853. Cf. McLean, Ruari and Antonia. Benjamin Fawcett : engraver and colour printer, 1988.

The majority of plates are printed in black with the addition of hand-colouring. Some hand-coloured plates are printed in black and light brown or grey-blue, brown and black, and a few include areas printed in green. Plates [1-2] at end are printed in black without hand-colouring. All plates are unsigned.

Includes "Aphorismata entomologica.": p. [1]-29 at end.

McLean, Ruari and Antonia. Benjamin Fawcett : engraver and colour printer, p. 83-84.

MASS copy 1: Bound in teal-green morocco-grain cloth blocked in blind with the upper cover and spine blocked in gold. With an illustration similar to those within the text blocked in gold on the upper cover and blind on the lower cover. With some pages unopened. With publisher's advertisements printed on endpapers.

MASS copy 2: Bound in the same cloth, blocked in gold and blind in the same design as copy 1. Some plates with slightly different shades of hand-colouring from those in copy 1. With embossed stamp: "Wight & Bailey Booksellers Cheltenham". With publisher's advertisements printed on endpapers and some pages unopened. With ownership inscription: "Fianach Lawry".