Pp. engraved title pages, 154 hand-colored plates and 154 plain plates (each bird is presented in both a colored and uncolored state), descriptive text accompanies each set of plates, 18 text-figures. Half brown leather over decorated paper-covered boards, top edge gilt, lg 4to. The first series was issued in 10 parts between 1826 and 1835; it was later bound in three volumes. The hand-colored plates are very attractive, many have been heightened with gum Arabic. The plates are by Jardine, Selby, E. Lear, Thompson, James Stewart, A.F. Rolfe, Gould and R. Mitford among others. Many new species and new genera are described and illustrated here for the first time. This work presents exotic species outside of Great Britain. Jardine conceived of this work and modeled it after Selby's Illustrations of British Ornithology which began to take form in the early 1820s. In 1825, Jardine approached Selby to co-author the present work. However, it was left to Jardine to raise the money for its publication which proved quite difficult. See Sir William Jardine: a Life in Natural History (2001); see also Zimmer p. 322-24, Fine Bird Books p.108.