MARSHALL, Charles Henry Tillson (1843-1924) and George Frederick LEYCESTER (1841-1927). A Monograph of the Capitonidae, or Scansorial Barbets. London: published by the authors [printed by Taylor and Francis], [1870]-1871.

A rare privately published monograph, issued in 9 parts, parts I-V appearing in 1870 and VI-IX in 1871.

The barbet is a small, brightly-plumaged forest bird, divided by the authors (preface p. xviii) into two groups: the Scansores, "arboreal birds which use the feet only in pursuit of food, and in which the outer foot is versatile," and the Fissirostres, "arboreal birds which use the wings in pursuit of food, and have the foot adapted for perching only." Many of the barbets are here illustrated for the first time, and the work contains copious information about their habitats and habits in Africa, Asia and South America. Anker 324 (beautiful hand-coloured plates"); Fine Bird Books p. 92; Nissen IVB 591; Wood p. 451; Zimmer p. 416.

Quarto (290 x 215mm). Subscribers list present. 73 hand-colored lithographic plates after J.G. Keulemans (pale even toning, modern pencil pagination). Near contemporary full red morocco gilt, spine gilt in compartments, all edges gilt (light wear to corners and joints, text block cracked after title-page). Provenance: Frederick du Cane Godman, 1834-1919, English entomologist and ornithologist (bookplate, his catalogue, Francis Edwards, 1921, item 2458, catalogue slips neatly pasted below bookplate) – K.V. Painter of Shaker Heights, Cleveland (letter laid in dated 1923).