Cuttlefish Journal — Frederick McCoy 1885-1890 Mollusca IV & V Sepia apama Giant Cuttlefish Prodromus Zoology Victoria

In 1885, Frederick McCoy — Irish-born palaeontologist, founding director of Museum Victoria, and professor of natural science at the University of Melbourne — began publishing the Prodromus of the Zoology of Victoria, the most ambitious scientific survey of Australian fauna of the colonial era. Its Mollusca plates IV and V, executed by John James Wild — veteran of the HMS Challenger expedition and one of the finest scientific illustrators of the Victorian age — document Sepia apama, the giant Australian cuttlefish, with chromolithographic precision: from the chromatophore-rich mantle and distinctive fin fringe of the front cover to the anatomical detail of the internal structures on the back, together forming a complete scientific portrait of one of the most extraordinary creatures in the temperate southern seas.

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Product Details

• Format: Hardcover lined journal
• Pages: 150 lined pages (75 sheets) with perforations for easy removal
• Binding: Casewrap sewn binding — flexible and lay-flat
• Dimensions: 5.75 × 8 inches
• Weight: Approximately 250 g (0.55 lbs)
• Cover: Matte laminated full-wrap print

Perfect For

• Marine biologists and cephalopod enthusiasts celebrating the Victorian natural history tradition of Frederick McCoy
• Divers and ocean lovers drawn to the extraordinary biology of Sepia apama in temperate Australian waters
• Victorian natural history collectors and admirers of John James Wild’s chromolithographic scientific illustration
• Lovers of colonial scientific exploration and the Museum Victoria legacy of Frederick McCoy
• Thoughtful gift seekers looking for a beautifully designed journal for marine biologists, naturalists, and ocean lovers
• Anyone who finds wonder in the ocean’s depths and inspiration in the hidden beauty of cephalopod anatomy