The Malay Archipelago (New ed)

The Malay Archipelago is the classic work on the flora, fauna, and peoples of the area now known as Indonesia.

Based largely on four field journals which Wallace kept during the eight years he spent in Malaysia and Indonesia between 1854 and 1862, it ranks as the greatest travel book on the region and, in its analysis of the geographical distribution of animals, is one of the most important natural history books of the nineteenth century.

Wallace's travels were mainly to obtain natural history specimens for his own and other collections.

He collected 125,660 in all, mostly beetles, butterflies and birds, in the face of considerable difficulties.

This book was originally published in 1869, seven years after Wallace's return from the area, and the new edition has an informative introduction by Dr John Bustin.