COSTA, E.M. DA.
Historia Naturalis Testaceorum Britanniae, or, the British Conchology; containing the descriptions and other particulars of natural history of the shells of Great Britain andIreland./ La Conchologie Britannique...
London, printed for the Author..., 1778. 4to (300 x 235mm). pp. xii, (2), 254, vii, (1) with 17 engraved hand-coloured plates. Contemporary calf, old rebacking with gilt lettered label.

Printed in English and French in parallel columns. This rather uncommon work was issued with plain as well as coloured plates. The list of subscribers lists 111 subscribers, indicating coloured and plain copies. 22 were Fellows of the Royal Society, the list of names gives some measure of his rehabilitation. The work is dedicated to Sir Ashton Lever who surely must have bought many specimens from da Costa and he may have helped him in other ways. Emanuel Mendes da Costa (1717-1791) was imprisoned for embezzling the Royal Society while serving as a clerk. B.M.(N.H.)I, 389; See also P.J.P. Whitehead, Emanuel Mendes da Costa... 'Bull. Br. Mus (Nat. Hist.) Historical series 6, 1'.
 

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Item nr. 9468

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