John Gould was without question the most prolific ornithological artist of the 19th century, and the only one to rival John James Audubon in ambition and quality. Gould shared the romantic enthusiasm of his time for bird specimens as well as the popular impulse to catalogue. He combined his passion for natural history with outstanding scientific, artistic and entrepreneurial talents. Drawing on these abilities, he embarked on a series of projects that would eventually make him the leading publisher of ornithological illustrations in Victorian Britain. Gould's unparalleled career spanned five decades, during which he produced a series of books depicting birds from all over the world. The dazzling illustrations from Gould's Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans, are generally thought to represent his most dramatic, magnificent images. The amazing range of vivid colors - shiny black, vibrant red, yellow, and orange - creates an unprecedented sense of animation....