A crimson topaz extends its bill deep into a pale pink flower while a green and purple-crested hummingbird flies by.
Mary and Elizabeth Kirby's "Beautiful Birds in Far Off Lands" was first published in 1872 and contained fine chromolithographs of tropical birds in the delicate style of John Gould. The colorful hummingbirds and brilliant birds of paradise are shown in romantic pairs fluttering around luxuriant flowers. Mary (1817~1893) and Elizabeth Kirby (1823~1873) were daughters of a prosperous hosiery manufacturer in Leicester. In 1848, after the death of their father, the sisters began planning a literary career. Mary had the botanical knowledge from extensive "botanizing" in the country and at the seaside, while Elizabeth was a gifted writer. They were very successful and wrote more than 20 books for children on natural history, travel, moral tales, and adaptations of the classics. When Mary married clergyman Henry Clegg, she and Elizabeth had enough money to purchase a living for him.
Size: 1914px × 2904px
Photo credit: © Florilegius / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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