A History of British Fishes

A History of British Fishes is a natural history book by William Yarrell. It is a handbook or field guide systematically describing every type of fish found in the British Isles. Yarrell was a London bookseller and newsagent with the time and income to indulge his interest in natural history. He was a prominent member of several natural history societies and knew most of the leading British naturalists of his day. He drew on his own extensive library and collection of specimens, his wide network of like-minded naturalist friends, and his access to major libraries to garner material for his writings. The work was a commercial success and became the standard reference work for a generation of British ichthyologists. The book was serialised in nineteen parts from 1835, and then published bound in two volumes in 1836. The wood engraving illustrations were drawn by Alexander Fussell and engraved by John Thompson; three editions and their two supplements were published by John Van Voorst's company, based in Paternoster Row, London. The third edition was produced posthumously. The posthumous sale of his books in 1856 raised £1100.