A History of British Fishes is a natural history by William Yarrell, first serialised in 19 parts from 1834, and then published as a whole in two volumes in 1836. It is a handbook or field guide systematically describing every type of fish known to occur in Britain, with an article for each species. William Yarrell was a London bookseller and newsagent with the time and income to indulge his interest in natural history. He was a prominent member of several natural history societies and knew most of the leading British naturalists of his day. He was able to draw on his own extensive library and collection of specimens, his wide network of like-minded naturalist friends and his access to major libraries to garner material for his writings, the most important of which were A History of British Fishes and the later A History of British Birds. A History of British Fishes followed Thomas Bewick in its combination of up-to-date scientific data, accurate illustrations, detailed descriptions and varied anecdotes. The woodcut illustrations were drawn by Alexander Fussell and engraved by John Thompson, and three editions and their two supplements were published by John Van Voorst's company based in Paternoster Row. Yarrell died in 1856, and the third edition was produced posthumously. The book was a commercial success and became the standard reference work for a generation of British ichthyologists. Yarrell's name is commemorated in a number of species, three of which are fish. Author William Yarrell (1784–1856) was the son of Francis Yarrell and his wife, Sarah née Blane. His father and his cousin William Jones were partners as booksellers and newsagents in London. William joined the business in 1803 after leaving school, and inherited the company in 1850. Yarrell had the free time and income to indulge his hobbies of shooting and fishing, and started to show an interest in rare birds, sending some specimens to the engraver and author Thomas Bewick. He became a keen student of natural history and collector of birds, fish, and other wildlife, and by 1825 he had a substantial collection. He was active in the London learned societies, and held senior posts in several for many years. He was treasurer of the Linnean Society from May 1849, until his death in 1856, vice president of the London Zoological Society from 1839 to 1851, treasurer of the Entomological Society from 1834 to 1852, and