Beschreibung:

GOULD, John. A Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans . London: Printed by Taylor and Francis for the Author, [1852-]1854.
GOULD, John. A Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans . London: Printed by Taylor and Francis for the Author, [1852-]1854. Large folio (546 x 365 mm). 51 hand-colored lithographed plates after Gould and Henry Constantine Richter, and one uncolored lithographed plate by G. Scharf, printed by Hullmandel & Walton. (Some occasional pale spotting.) Contemporary dark-green morocco gilt extra, sides with wide gilt borders, spines in six compartments with five raised bands, gilt-lettered in two, a repeating gilt block in the remaining, all edges gilt, by Clyde (light rubbing to joints and corners, a few surface scuffs). Second and expanded edition of Gould's first monograph. Gould in fact considered this edition a new work because he increased the number of species significantly and because he proposed to divide the group into six genera, rather than two (the first edition included 33 plates as against the 51 here). Recent discoveries in the Andes and Cordilleras had spurred the need for revision. The uncolored anatomical plate accompanies Richard Owen's text on the anatomy of the toucan which was written specifically for this edition. This volume represents the first major effort made to produce a monograph on the Toucan family. The range of these extraordinary birds is limited to Mexico, Central and South America and some of the West Indies. Ayer/Zimmer, p.259; Copenhagen/Anker 170; Fine Bird Books, p.77; McGill/Wood, p.365; Nissen IVB 378.