Couch, Jonathan

Jonathan Couch (1789–1870) was a Cornish naturalist, physician, and ichthyologist renowned for his meticulous observations of marine life, especially around the Cornish coast. His landmark work, A History of the Fishes of the British Islands, commonly known as Couch's Fishes, was published in four volumes between 1862 and 1865 by George Bell & Sons. Richly illustrated with over 250 hand-coloured plates, many drawn by Couch himself or under his direction, the work documents more than 130 species in remarkable scientific and artistic detail. It remains a foundational reference in British ichthyology and a valuable record of 19th-century marine biodiversity.

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