ABSTRACT
William Buckland's 1824 Megalosaurus paper has gained wide recognition as the first scientific description of a dinosaur. However, previous studies have not considered the paper's illustrations. I rectify this by investigating Buckland's plates here—lithographic prints based on drawings by Mary Morland. Executed by Henry Perry, these bear witness to the high standard that Morland achieved in her lost original artwork, whose legacy extends to the present day. The contribution of one woman to scientific knowledge is an important aspect of the broader theme of the growth and acceptance of lithography in geological contexts. By examining Morland's role as artist and that of the print technicians and members of the Geological Society involved, my own study on Buckland's paper serves to strengthen our understanding of early nineteenth-century knowledge-making practices that often transcended gender and class boundaries. Building on the work of earlier historians of science, I develop the story of geological lithographic printing in Britain to provide fresh insights into how, in 1822, the Geological Society first came to accept this medium to illustrate its prestigious journal, the Transactions. By investigating the details of the production and timing of Buckland's Megalosaurus paper two years later we may better understand the complex social relations that underpinned this instance of scientific knowledge-making.