Description
Superb lithograph of the Australasian swamphen from the last great bird series on Australian ornithology, The Birds of Australia by G. Matthew’s.
This series is rarer than John Gould’s work on Australian birds, with only 225 sets made. It was the last series produced using the laborious process of hand colouring of each individual lithograph.
Modern binomial name: Porphyrio melanotus
First described: Gould 1840 (Proceedings of the Zoological Society)
Distribution: WA (One of two races, this one found in SW WA)
First described: Gould 1840 (Proceedings of the Zoological Society)
Distribution: WA (One of two races, this one found in SW WA)
Collections:
State Library New South Wales: Call Numbers: MRB/F598.2/M
State Library Victoria: RARESF 598.2994 M42
State Library South Australia: Rare Books Room 598.294 M429 b
State Library of Western Australia: Call Number Q 598.2994 MAT
National Library Australia: Rex Nan Kivell Collection ; NK9772
State Library Queensland: RBF 598.2994 MAT
National Museum of Australia: Call no: AIA F 598.2994 MAT
References:
Anker, J. Bird Books and Bird Art. Amsterdam 1979 328.
Nissen, C. Die illustrierten Vogelbucher. Stuttgart 1995 IVB 605.
