We are delighted to offer these hand colored engravings from the 1845 edition of James Bolton’s "Harmonia Ruralis; Or, An Essay Towards a Natural History of British Song Birds: Illustrated with Figures, the Size of Life, of the Birds, Male and Female, in Their Most Natural Attitudes; Their Nests and Eggs, Food, Favorite Plants, shrubs, Trees &c. &c. Faithfully drawn, Engraved, and colored after Nature."

James Bolton c1733-1799 was an English painter, illustrator & naturalist who lived around Halifax for his entire life. He was an avid student of flora & fauna of the field and published a book on ferns & another on fungi before creating what is surely his masterpiece, the Harmonia Ruralis. The original drawings for this work were on vellum & two are still in the collection of the Earl of Derby. 

References include: Nissen IVB 115; Zimmer p. 64; Wood p. 247; Mengel 310