A History of the Birds of New Zealand. Sir Walter Lawry Buller (1838-1906). London: published by the author, [1887] - 1888. Guidance: Christie's, 2013, 6,000 EUR. 2 volumes. Folio (14 6/8 x 11 inches). 48 hand-finished color lithographed plates after and by J.G. Keulemans, 2 uncolored lithographed plates after J. Smit by E. Wilson, numerous woodcut illustrations in text. Original green cloth decorated in gilt (recased preserving the original binding). Second edition, limited issue, one of 1000 sets, published by subscription in 13 parts and enlarged from the first edition of 1872. Buller, born in New Zealand, was a keen ornithologist from an early age "...with a confidence unusual in colonial scientists he set out to describe and name new species of birds himself rather than submitting them to the metropolitan authorities. His Essay on the Ornithology of New Zealand, written for the Dunedin Exhibition in 1865, established him as a local authority on the subject, and, after he sent copies to influential scientists in Britain and Europe, also brought him to wider attention. In 1871 he used the Essay to obtain the degree of doctor of natural history from the University of Tübingen. By this time he had assembled the materials for a comprehensive work, and obtained leave to go to London to publish it. A History of the Birds of New Zealand (1872-3), illustrated by the ornithological artist J. G. Keulemans, was a fine bird book in the best style" (R. A. Galbreath for DNB). Johannes Gerardus Keulemans (1842-1912), began his career as a taxidermist providing stuffed birds to the State Museum of Natural History at Leiden. The director of that museum encouraged Keulemans to pursue his love of natural history, where he obtained a scientific appointment after an expedition to West Africa in 1865 and 1866. His accomplishments in illustration came to the notice of Richard Bowdler Sharpe, later a director of the British Museum, who encouraged him to move to England. Keulemans quickly achieved wide recognition and established himself as the most popular bird artist of the late Victorian period. He regularly provided illustrations for "The Ibis" and "The Proceedings of the Zoological Society". He illustrated many important bird books as well as those by Dresser, including Buller's "A History of the Birds of New Zealand" (1873), Shelley's "Monograph of the Sun-Birds" (1876-1880), William Vincent Legge's "Birds of Ceylon" (1880), Daniel Giraud Elliot's "Monograph of the Hornbills" (1887-1892), Richard Bowdler Sharpe's "Monograph on Kingfishers" (1868-1871), Henry Seebohm's "Monograph on Thrushes" (1902), and Osbert Salvin's "Biologia Centrali-Americana" (1879-1904). Ayer/Zimmer 115; Copenhagen/Anker 85; McGill/Wood 269; Nissen IBV 163; Nissen SVB 83.