2 volumes in one, imperial folio (533 x 346 mm). 80 fine hand-colored lithographic plates by Elizabeth Gould after sketches by John Gould, printed by Charles Hullmandel. (Occasional light spotting to text and some margins of plates, light soiling to title-page with faint vertical crease). Later olive morocco gilt, spine in 7 compartments with 6 raised bands, gilt-lettered in 2, the rest with central gilt devices, speckled edges.

FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE OF GOULD'S FIRST WORK with the title-page dated 1831, and with the backgrounds uncolored ("You will probably recollect that in my first work ... neither the plants or Backgrounds were colored; In order to render the Series of my Publications complete ... I have had those parts colored in the few copies I have left...." Gould to Lord Derby, letter dated 5 Feb. 1844). Gould moved to London in 1825 to pursue work as a taxidermist, and was appointed Curator of Birds and Preserver at the Zoological Society of London in 1827. While working on a collection of bird specimens in that role, Gould discovered they were the first collection of any size to reach Europe, and realized there would be a market for a large-format work illustrating the birds. Anker 168; Fine Bird Books p. 77; Nissen IVB 374; Sauer 1; Wood p. 364; Zimmer p.251.