Second edition of a conchological work, addressed to female readers, by the French writer and naturalist Simon Louis Pierre Cubières (1747-1821). He opens with a preface, headed "aux femmes", followed by a general introduction to natural history and seashells. The following chapters are devoted to the classification of sea shells (univalves, bivalves and multivalves) each dealing with a different family of these classes. Each plate depicts several shells, included at the end of the text is a list with the names of all the depicted shells. The author apparently felt that female readers would be especially interested in the "customs" and "love life" of shellfish.
A few small spots and a small water stain in the upper margin of the first few pages. Binding rubbed. Overall in very good condition. Junk, Thes. libr. conchyliorum 80; Nissen, ZBI 995.