GOULD, John (1804-1881)

Metallura Cupreicauda [Copper-tailed hummingbird]

Hullmandel & Walton. Hand-coloured lithograph by J. Gould and H. C. Richter. Sheet size: 25 x 19 inches.

A beautiful image depicting a copper-tailed hummingbird, from John Gould's masterpiece, 'A Monograph of the Trochilidae or Family of Humming-Birds.'

"There is no one appreciative of the beauties of nature who will not recall... with delight the time when a live humming-bird first met his gaze. The suddenness of the apparition, even when expected, and its brief duration, are alone enough to fix the fluttering vision on the mind's eye.... The beautiful nests of humming-birds... will be found on examination to be very solidly and tenaciously built, though the materials are generally of the slightest - cotton-wool or some vegetable down and spider's webs" (Alfred Newton in 'The Encyclopedia Britannica 1911, vol. 13, p.887). Gould's fascination with the humming-bird was evidenced by his collection of 1500 mounted specimens which was exhibited in the Royal Zoological Garden in 1851, as part of the festivities surrounding the Great Exhibition. It proved a great success, with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert being among the 75,000 visitors.

Item #38415

Price: $600.00