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BLOOD-SUCKING INSECTS OF FORMOSA ~PART 1 TABANIDAE ORIGINAL 1918 PB COLOR PLATES
Shiraki, Tokuichi.
Blood-Sucking Insects of Formosa. Part I: Tabanidae (with Japanese Species).
Taihoku: Agricultural Experiment Station, Government of Formosa, 1918. First edition.
octavo. Original printed wrappers, stitched and reinforced at spine; [ii], 442 pp. + index and 11 full-page chromolithograph plates. Text entirely in English, with nomenclatural reference to Japanese species.
An early and important entomological report issued under Japanese colonial administration in Taiwan (Formosa), this rare monograph documents the Tabanidae (horseflies) of the region with particular attention to their significance as vectors of human and veterinary disease. Shiraki — a prominent government entomologist — offers a detailed overview of the biology, distribution, and medical importance of these blood-feeding insects.
The publication stands out for its uncommon focus on parasitology and disease transmission in subtropical East Asia, and for its fine hand-colored lithograph, a striking example of early 20th-century Japanese scientific printing.
Condition: Very good. Wrappers toned with minor edgewear and corner creasing; binding reinforced with archival tissue. Interior clean and sound. Plate bright and complete.
Scarce. Only a handful of institutional holdings recorded. A valuable item for collectors of medical entomology, colonial science in Asia, or natural history illustration.
