[Prints] Audubon, John J(ames). Ruffed Grous

London: R(obert). Havell, 1828. Hand-colored engraving with aquatint and etching, on J. Whatman Turkey Mill watermarked paper, dated 1828. Engraved by Robert Havell, Jr., printed and colored by Robert Havell, Sr., after Audubon. Bottom edge and left and right edges trimmed close to plate-mark, top-edge trimmed just within plate mark, just touching image of branch; chip in top left edge; wear along right edge from when trimmed. 25 1/2 x 38 5/8 in. (648 x 981 mm). In mat and in frame, 29 x 42 3/8 in. (737 x 1076 mm). Low, pp. 52-53, Variant 1

Plate 41 from Audubon's The Birds of America (London, 1827-38). "Painting and plate depict two males, top, and a female, below, feeding on the blue-black berries of Moonseed. Toadshade is also in the scene. There are curious variations of color in the ruffs of the male birds in different prints, ranging from black to velvety blue. In the original painting, Audubon correctly depicted the birds with black ruffs. When the bird's ruff is fully raised, one can see that the feathers are dark brown at the base and black at the tips; when the ruff is folded, it appears completely black. The male at right shows a partially raised ruff. Possibly painted about 1824 in Pennsylvania. Although not giving away any information about the date or place of this painting, Audubon wrote about this bird at great length in Ornithological Biography. He was clearly an admirer of this distinguished bird, and prized it for both its beauty and its culinary excellence. He mentioned especially that in various parts of the countryside it was called Pheasant and Partridge by the locals." (Susanne M. Low, A Guide to Audubon's Birds of America, pp. 52-53).