John Williams

Faunula Grustensis, the Natural History of the Parish of Llanrwst John Williams

Up until 1830, the natural history of north Wales had been little investigated, aside from in Snowdonia and Anglesey. As such, this account of the plants, animals, agriculture and topography of the Parish of Llanrwst was a pioneering study by a local man, John Williams. As its title indicates, it presents not only botanical and zoological observations, but also gives an account of the illnesses to which local people were prone. Williams's list of plants encountered in the area's gardens is particularly noteworthy, since the subject is scarcely ever covered in local floras. This new edition has been reproduced verbatim from the original, but is augmented by a biography of the author, a review of the early literature on the natural history of the area, a gazetteer of localities of plants and animals mentioned in the text, and a bibliography. Williams's book is a source of information on the Welsh, English and Latin names of plants and animals, and also includes a brief account of the history of Llanrwst and its farming practises. This edition also offers eight full-page colour plates of plants taken from Sowerby and Smith's English Botany.