Author(s): Colin J. Burrows (ed.)

Natural History

The chapters in this book are based on papers given at a symposium, held in Christchurch, New Zealand on 23rd November 1996, to mark the 150th anniversary of publication of the book Choix de plantes de la Nouvelle-Z?lande ("A selection of New Zealand plants"). Its author, Etienne Fiacre Louis Raoul, was a French naval doctor stationed at Akaroa, Banks Peninsula in 1840?43. His was the first account of Canterbury botany and it is valuable to botanists today because it includes the original descriptions and the first illustrations of many native New Zealand plants.

Although this book focusses on botany, it covers a great deal more. In particular it deals with the considerable French contact with, and activity in, the New Zealand region during the early to middle 19th Century. Each chapter has been written by scholars eminent in their fields of study. They show, in informative and interesting ways, how the work of Raoul and other contemporary Frenchmen has impacted on the botany, horticulture and the history and social life of this part of New Zealand

130pp 297 x 210mm 30 B&w Illustrations and Photographs