Roberts, M.:
Spiders of Great Britain and
Ireland.
Two volume softcover edition. 1993,
reprinted 2009. 29 x 21 cm. 458 pages + 256 colour plates. Numerous
line drawings.
ISBN 978-0946589-44-9.
GBP 115.00 / € 140.00 / US$ 196.00 / DKK 980.00.
This title has been out of print for some years, but has now been reprinted. It
is now generally recognised as the definitive text on British
spiders. Roberts' first edition of this work (3 vols, in 1987) superseded and
updated the previous bible for British Arachnologists (Locket and Millidge,
1951, 1953 and 1974). This newer edition with additional Appendix, Addenda and
Corrigenda in turn updates and revises the1987 edition. The first volume
contains all the text, starting with a series of introductory notes on spider
biology and some information on classification and nomenclature as it applies to
spiders. Following this is a key to families and the species descriptions
including 105 genera and 267 species of Linyphiidae. These two volumes are both
a work of art and a work of science and so bring together the highest possible
achievements of a human being. Their presence in the libraries of all academic
as well as private Arachnid libraries is a must in order that their great value
to the science of arachnology in Europe be allowed to bear fruit abundantly. |
