Large 8vo (273 x 178 mm). 50 hand-colored plates by J.T. Bowen after William E. Hitchcock and George G. White. (Occasional spotting, mostly at ends, light toning mostly throughout.) Contemporary (publisher's?) half morocco gilt, spine in 6 compartments with 5 raised bands, gilt-lettered in one, top edge gilt, others uncut (light rubbing to joints and fore-corners, hinges reinforced); ORIGINAL WRAPPERS from parts 4 ("second edition"), 5, and 6 bound in at end, which includes the prospectus and list of subscribers.

FIRST EDITION, BOUND FROM THE ORIGINAL PARTS (stab-holes present) of Cassin's ornithological work, first published in parts between July 1853 and June 1855 (with a title-page issued in 1856), that included species not described by Audubon or other American naturalists. The fourth part is identified as a "second edition," as usual, however, all the parts were executed at the same time and the actual second edition was not published until 1862. The author intended the work to complement the octavo edition of Audubon's Birds of America: "At first the Audubons were receptive...however, Cassin wanted shared credit on the title page and a free hand in correcting the errors of nomenclature of the elder Audubon, a touchy point with the sons. In the end, Cassin went on his own, although clearly following the Audubon format and also using J.T. Bowen as lithographer" (Reese). American Color Plate Books 42; Anker 92; Bennett p.21; Cowan p.110; Fine Bird Books p.85; Lada-Mocarski 144; Nissen IVB 173; Sabin 11369; Wickersham 704; Wood p. 281; Zimmer, pp.124-25.