Couch's Fishes of the British Islands
Jonathan Couch’s A History of the Fishes of the British Islands, published between 1862 and 1865 by George Bell & Sons, London, is a landmark work in British natural history. A Cornish physician, naturalist, and accomplished illustrator, Couch combined scientific rigour with first-hand observation, particularly from the coastal waters around Polperro, where he lived. Issued in four volumes, the work is richly illustrated with hand-coloured plates drawn largely by Couch himself, depicting over 250 species of British fish in remarkable detail. Blending taxonomy, description, anecdote, and local lore, the work was praised for its accessibility and accuracy, and it remains a valuable reference for ichthyologists, historians of science, and collectors of Victorian natural history books.
