AB Catalogue 2021-TWO 28SEP

A History of the Birds of New Zealand
Sir Walter Lawry Buller
Bibliographic Sequence:
London, 1888, (Published for the Subscribers by the
Author). Second U.K. Edition, two Volume Set. Folio,
Imperial Quarto, Gilt-stamped Decorative Boards and
Spines, both Front Boards with lovely Gilt Takahe,
trees and plants, all edges Gilt. Volume 1, (lxxxiv),
250 pages, plus six pages ‘Extracts from Reviews’, 24
Chromolithograph Plates, many text illustrations.
Volume 2, (xv), 359 pages, 24 Chromolithograph Plates
and two Plates with B&W Lithographs after J. Smit by
E. Wilson. Total of 48 Colour Plates, all paintings by and
after J.G. Keulemans, numerous additional Woodcut
illustrations in the text. Spots of Foxing mostly front
and back pages and some margins. Bound in original
green cloth and leather with Gilt hawk to spine. Volume
2 top of Spine recased, Silver lettering to top, original
Gilt hawk retained at bottom. Several tissue-guards for
the Plates are torn and one is loose. Various bumps,
spots, and the common marks of age.
Description:
Buller was born in New Zealand and showed a keen
interest in Ornithology from an early age. He wrote
his first history of New Zealand birds in 1872-73,
and while in London discovered J.G. Keulemans
from Holland, recognized as best bird illustrator
in the world, and hired him to paint the Plates.
However, this First Edition was not well-received
as it lacked detail – one critic described it as
‘shoddy’. In 1887 Buller travelled back to England
hoping to attract interest in a newly rewritten
edition, This 1888 Edition was comprehensively
revised and enlarged from the First, now with 48
Colour Plates, ranking amongst Keulemans’ finest.
It became a classic in the literature of Ornithology
and is considered the leading authority on
New Zealand Birds. “The text gives a complete
(taxonomy) for each species, describes both sexes
and every condition of plumage, and tells the lifehistory
of each bird from personal observations
made by the author during a period of twenty
years.” (reference Anker). Considered superior to
the First, the Second Edition includes complete
and extensive details on the species, and contains
more Plates.
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