John Gould

First edition

Intended by the author to serve as "a kind of handbook" to his folio work The birds of Australia, published in 1848. See Introduction, v.1, page 6, and Preface, v. 1, page v: "During that period [since publication of The birds of Australia] many new species have been discovered, and much additional information acquired respecting those comprised therein; consequently it appeared to me that a careful résumé of the entire subject would be acceptable to the possessors of the former edition, as well as to the many persons in Australia who are now turning their attention to the ornithology of the country in which they are resident."

A separately issued edition of the "Introduction" to Gould's Monograph of the Trochilidae, or family of humming-birds, preceded by that work's "Preface" (pages i-iv), and followed by the introduction's "Explanation of the abbreviations" and indexes (with added page references) (pages 183-212). See "Notice" (preliminary pages 7-8): "As the Introduction to my "Monograph of the Trochilidae" involved much intricate and laborious investigation, particularly with regard to the synonymy of the various species, I have been induced to have it set up in octavo for the facility of correction. From this draft, as it were, it has been reprinted in large type for the folio work. Believing that in its present form it might be interesting and useful to many of my scientific friends and others, I have had a limited number of copies printed for distribution among them."

Intended as a record of hummingbird species discovered since the publication of Gould's original 5-volume monograph (A monograph of the Trochilidae, or family of humming-birds) in 1861; describes 122 species in all. There are 42 leaves of letterpress containing descriptions of species that are not illustrated; contains also title page, preface by R. Bowdler Sharpe, contents and list of plates (4 unnumbered leaves at beginning).