The Insect Alphabet

Illustrations by Fortuné Méaulle for Alphabet des Insectes by Leon Becker
(France, 1883)

The scans come from the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
A previously-covered Cotsen exhibit says about the book:Insects stand in for people in this highly fanciful French alphabet. In addition to weight-lifting or parading down the boulevard, they file into church, ice skate, duel, dance, sail, paint, serenade a lover or invite her to dance, and, of course, improve their minds reading.

Hetzel was one of the most important publishers of children's books in late nineteenth-century France, whose publications were distinguished by their handsome gold-stamped cloth bindings and excellent illustrations.
You can see covers Meaulle (fr.wiki) did for Le Petit Journal here.
Also see:
Ready or Not, Here I Come
Insect Stories from Estonia
Eskimo Grasshoppers
Birds, Beret, and Butterflies