A Monograph of the Trogonidae, or Family of Trogons.

London, Taylor & Francis, [1858] – 75, Folio, (547 x 365mm), Full Green Morocco Gilt, Elaborate Gilt Arabesque Designs in Compartments, All Edges Gilt, with 47 brilliantly hand-coloured plates, enhanced with gum Arabic.

A Stunning Copy of the Enlarged Second Edition.

Although titled the second edition Gould considered the present volume a new work. The text being re-written and all the plates were redrawn and supplemented by twelve entirely new plates of subsequently recognised species.

The beauty of many of the subjects in this edition is enhanced by the addition of backgrounds of tropical flora and smaller birds.

Gould’s second monograph was first published in three parts and contained four species of trogons, twelve more than had hitherto been known to science; the majority were inhabitants of America and its islands, although ten were of the Indian islands and India, and one of Africa. These vividly coloured birds were among Gould’s favourites: ‘Denizens of the intertropical regions of the Old and New World, they shroud their glories in the deep and gloomy recesses of the forest… dazzled by the brightness of the meridional sun, morning and evening twilight is the season for their activity’ (Introduction).
Fine Bird Books, p.77; Suer 21;Nissen IVB 381, Anker 171; Zimmer p253.

Provenance: Henry George Charles, Viscount Lascelles