Nürnberg, Adam Ludwig Wirsing, [1770-]1772. Tall folio (43.0 x 26.5 cm). Engraved and contemporarily coloured plate, numbered and captioned.

A fine plate from possible the first but certainly one of the most beautiful hand-coloured nidological works ever, and almost never found complete - even individual plates, such as this one, are rare. This plate, number eight, deals with the Auerhuhn, or western capercaillie, also known as wood grouse. The first author, Adam Ludwig Wirsing (1734-1798) was a versatile German engraver with a keen interest in natural history. The German medical doctor and naturalist (principally ornithologist) Friedrich Christian Günther (1726-1774) was responsible for the descriptive text. Uncut. With the widest possible margins. The colouring bright and accurate. Left edge a bit irregular due to former binding, otherwise fine. Anker, 537; Nissen IVB, 1002; Sitwell, Fine bird books, 157; Not in Zimmer.