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Post by wollastoni on Oct 3, 2015 11:46:03 GMT
In "The Hazards of Butterfly Collecting", Torben Larsen explained how much difficulties he had to find a copy of the great book of Lucien Berger "Les Papillons du Zaire" about Zairian (=Congolese) butterflies.
Thanks to my good friend Michel from Topduck, I have now a copy of this rare book.
This book was financed by the President Mobutu, dictator and nature lover, and written by the Belgian entomologist Lucien Berger, it is a very impressive work with more than 100 plates and most of the 1600 species of Zaire pictured.
An excellent book to identify African butterflies.
Some pictures : 
I highly recommend this book to everyone. Few copies are available on Abebooks.
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Post by deliasfanatic on Oct 3, 2015 13:25:07 GMT
Agreed, it's an excellent book - I found a copy several years ago and use it frequently.
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Post by cabintom on Oct 3, 2015 20:07:59 GMT
It's an amazing book! I'm actually sitting here with Robert Ducarme's much loved copy right beside me. It most recently helped me sort out the identification of some specimens of Cacyreus lingeus that I apparently have (I wasn't sure which species they were before... Cacyreus is a confusing group... less confusing now though).
Just a note though, the author is Lucien A. Berger.
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Post by trehopr1 on Oct 4, 2015 2:43:05 GMT
Pretty cool book I've never heard of. Does anyone know how many copies were made ? It's also impressive to learn Zaire has some 1600 plus known species of butterfly. WOW ! ! Is there any country in Africa with more known species ? It's also kind of difficult to imagine any tyrant / dictator having a soft spot or passing interest in nature !
Still pretty cool he funded the book.
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Post by wollastoni on Oct 4, 2015 7:29:10 GMT
It has been known to be a very rare book. If a very introduced man like Torben Larsen couldn't find it, you can imagine how rare it was. It seems to be more available now, I guess some of the collectors who bought it in the 80ies have died and their book collections resold. About the number of copies, mygos may be able to tell us more. About the number of species, I have written "1600" without rechecking. Lucien Berger wrote "1350 species" in this book introduction. This book being 30 years old, reality must not be far from 1600. The Congolese bassin is indeed a very rich area, the equivalent of Amazon in Africa. No wonder, there is such a rich biodiversity. Mobutu was indeed a fascinating tyrant. Those who wants to know more about him : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobutu_Sese_SekoMy copy is an ex-libris "J. Poulard", anyone knows this entomologists ? |
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Post by africaone on Oct 4, 2015 10:55:01 GMT
the book was printed 2000 exemplars. It was used for making present for visitor of Mobutu (and then many non entomologist possess the book). Berger received some for him (for saling, 300 as I remember) and many were sold on the "black market" in Kinshasa. It was in a collection comprising two other books ("Les oiseaux du Zaire" et one on the local art, I forget the title) It was the "holy bible" for any collectors in Central Africa for many years, like me. I am definitively marked by this book. Even today some information inside are very useful. I planned together Ducarme and some other collectors (Under the lambillionea revue authority) to publish a kind of update as some hundreds species are today to be added and many updates have to be made. Berger's work is quite impressive. He understood very well the local fauna (he was curator of the Tervuren butterfly collection) and was helped by Hecq for some difficult group such as Limenitines. He was a specialist of Pierid (Colias and Mylothris lovers know him) and this part is probably one the most interesting and complete in the book. The lycaenid one is quite poor and unfortunetly he didn't publish on Hesperidae (his favourite group). Unfortunetly this book was made under big pressure because a the rivality with D'Abrera and his book on Afrotropical region (the two were published quite together). Berger, as D'Abrera, had a "big" personality  . His anglophobie was probably is biggest enemy that blocked him for many geat projects (espacially the publication of his hesperid book). He was also president and editor of Lambillionea revue during dozens years before Hecq took it in hand. I have two copies : on for working that is in an unbelievable state (Z quality) and one A1 for my book collection the actual price is around 150-300 € depending quality and seller (the firsts were sold around 40 €). A1 quality are today difficult to find (Michel is more qualified to give information about that). Most of the actual copies available are from Belgium. |
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Post by wollastoni on Oct 4, 2015 11:11:43 GMT
Indeed a fascinating book ! Thanks for adding those informations Thierry. It would be great if Lambillionea could update it ! A major task of course. Prices are now more between 300€ and 500€ today if you check the few available copies on Abebooks. But it still worths that price, and in bonus you will have the signature of Mobutu Sese Seko in your library ! |
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Post by trehopr1 on Oct 4, 2015 14:21:40 GMT
Very informative africaone ! Thank you. I figured if anyone knew something about this great book it would most likely be yourself or mygos. I will have to keep "my eyes peeled" for a descent copy at a fair price. Glad to have found out about it.
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Post by mygos on Oct 4, 2015 17:57:05 GMT
Just back from a busy weekend rallying for the 20th birthday of my car club ! I had the great chance to receive a copy as a gift by Lucien Berger himself at a dinner party at Jacques Hecq home when the book was just launched   Rare indeed, but I have copies from time to time, price depending on quality. Mint (A1) copies in the range of 500 euros. Thanks to your post wollastoni, I just sold a nearly perfect copy to a famous entomologist reading your forum A+, Michel |
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Post by wollastoni on Oct 4, 2015 18:28:45 GMT
I am happy for you and for this entomologist, he will be very happy reading it !
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. His anglophobie was probably is biggest enemy that blocked him for many geat projects (espacially the publication of his hesperid book). He was also president and editor of Lambillionea revue during dozens years before Hecq took it in hand.
