ZOOLOGY - Ornithology - Gould, John. A monograph of the Trochilidae, or family of humming-birds [AND:] Supplement completed after the authors death by R. Bowdler Sharpe. 6 vols. With 418 coloured lithographic plates. London, Taylor & Francis for the Author, [1849-]1861; Supplement: London, Henry Sotheran & Co, [1880-]1887. Large folio (56 × 37 cm). Long-scarred green marocco bindings of the period with gilt-stamped spine titles, rich gilt spine, wide gilt-stamped cover borders, gilt inner edges and gilt edges (spine somewhat faded, edges partly scuffed, 1 joint cracked, 1 capital torn, 1 cover with brightening spots, a few small traces of compression). Nissen IVB 380 - Anker 177 - Wood, p. 365 ("The most attractive of all Gould's publications") - "The Trochilidae of Gould is his masterpiece, and must ever remain a feast of beauty and a source of wonder'' (Fine Bird Books, p. 29). - First edition. - The British ornithologist John Gould (1804-1881) opened up the exotic world of birds to the Victorian public of the 19th century with his monumental, splendidly illustrated publications. Originally trained as a taxidermist, unknown species that arrived in England from the Royal Society's great research voyages - including the animals that Charles Darwin transported on the legendary "Beagle" in 1836 - repeatedly landed on his desk. Gould found his life's work by becoming an explorer himself on the one hand and, on the other, by recognising in the young technique of lithography the decisive medium for publishing the results of his research in large-format magnificent works. His first trip took him to Australia, and consequently the "Birds of Australia", published from 1840 onwards, was the first of a whole library of ornithological monographs that he created with a small team of artists over four decades. His great passion was hummingbirds, and he amassed a collection of 320 specimens, which he presented with great success at the London World's Fair in 1851. They formed the basis for his main work presented here, which was published between 1849 and 1861 and was expanded after Gould's death until 1887. The effort involved was considerable: Gould had a process patented in which gold or silver leaf, transparent oils and layers of colour were applied to imitate the shimmering quality of hummingbird feathers. The birds are all depicted with native flowers and detailed backgrounds. This also applies to his last work, the "Birds of New Guinea", which was also not completed during his lifetime. (LOT 4140). As our copy shows, these opulent illustrated books found their way into the great collections and palace libraries of the time. Provenance: bookplate Kimbolton Castle. - Evenly slightly browned, hardly any foxing, in excellent condition inside and out.