This terrific hand-colored lithograph depicts the Petrocincla cinclorhyncha (as named in accompanying text) or the blue-capped rock thrush. The text notes the bird's rarity, its throat and shoulders of "a beautiful lazuline blue," and the species's preference for rocky environs. "Drawn from Nature & on Stone by E. Gould." Elizabeth Gould collaborated with her husband John on his ornithological works and also contributed to Charles Darwin's Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle. John Gould (1804-81) created some of the most beautiful bird prints ever produced and was known throughout the world as "The Bird Man." This lithograph was "Tab. XIX" of Gould's first work, The Birds of Great Britain (1830-32), with text by Nicholas Aylward Vigors. The lot includes a sheet of Vigors's text, featuring information on the bird. Printed by C. Hullmandel.

References: Sitwell, p. 101.

Condition: B+

Contemporary color with a few spots of foxing in the image and an edge tear at right, well away from map image. There are remnants of tape on verso and a small piece on recto of the sheet of accompanying text.