Hand-colored lithographed plates, with preface, introduction, list of subscribers, and accompanying leaves of letterpress description.

Issued in 25 parts between 1849 and 1861; the title pages for the volumes were issued last and are all dated 1861.

Plates drawn and lithographed by Gould and H.C. Richter, and printed by Hullmandel & Walton, and also by Walter & Cohn.

A supplementary volume to this set, issued in parts between 1880 and 1887, was completed by R.B. Sharpe after Gould's death.

Includes bibliographical references.

Zimmer, J.T. Ayer Lib., p. 258

Sitwell, S. Fine bird books, 1700-1900 (1990 ed.), p. 102

Anker, J. Bird books, 177

extracted picklist 20081216 BHLEX

SCNHRB copy has bookplates: 1. (armorial) Sir David Lionel Goldsmid-Stern-Salomons bart. of Broomhill, Tunbridge Wells, with motto: Deo adjuvante; 2. John H.H. Phipps.

SCNHRB copy has a printed citation for this work [i.e. for this particular copy?], extracted from an unidentified sales catalog and mounted on the front free endpaper of v. 1.

SCNHRB copy has contemporary gilt-tooled red morocco leather binding with raised bands and all edges gilt.