Sylvester Diggles - 2 hand-coloured lithographs from The Ornithology of Australia (1870-75) - 1870

Sylvester Diggles: 2 hand-coloured Lithographs from The Ornithology of Australia (1870-75)

English-born naturalist, artist and musician Sylvester Diggles (1817-1880) arrived in Sydney at the end of 1853 and settled in Brisbane in January 1855. In 1859 he became one of the founders of the Queensland Philosophical Society, and in 1861 he established the Brisbane Philharmonic Society.
Diggles’ principal interests in the natural sciences were ornithology and entomology, and his The Ornithology of Australia was first issued in Brisbane as 126 plates in 21 parts, without text, between 1866 and 1870. Lithographs of Diggles’ artwork were made by Henry Green Eaton, Diggles himself did the colouring.
Between 1870 and 1875, bound versions were issued which included descriptive text.
Of this version the two offered plates come and they both come with the original text-page.
Plate 1: Scaly Breasted Lorikeet (Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus) and Musky lorikeet (Trichoglossus concinnus)
Plate 2: Moth-plumaged Podargus (Podargus phalaenoïdes)

Plates and text-pages measure 36x25 cm. The condition is very good, no stains or foxing and the colours are bright.