Imperial folio (535 x 362 mm). 33 fine hand-colored lithographed plates (10 by and after Edward Lear, 23 by John and Elizabeth Gould), 1 uncolored plate by G. Scharf. (Some spotting, imprint of first plate cropped, light offsetting to text from plates.) 19th century dark blue half morocco gilt, spine in 6 compartments with 5 raised bands gilt, gilt-lettering in second, all edges gilt (extremities rubbed). Provenance: Joshua Clarke (armorial bookplate; bookseller's manuscript account and receipt for 4 guineas dated 1858 tipped in); sold, 21 November 1991, Sotheby's, lot 53.

FIRST EDITION OF GOULD'S FIRST ORNITHOLOGICAL MONOGRAPH and one of his "most lovely works" (Fine Bird Books). Lear’s remarkable images of Toucans fill the plate, showing the young birds alongside fully grown birds, and are regarded among the best of his zoological drawings; the uncolored plate accompanies Richard Owen’s final chapter on the anatomy of the toucan, written especially for the work. Anker 170; Fine Bird Books, p.77; Nissen IVB 378; Sauer 3; Zimmer, p.252.