Rough-legged Racket-tailed Humming-bird. Trochilus Underwoodii. Lizars antique print c1833.

by Lizars, William Home

Gorgeous little humming bird of Jamaica and Guiana, "remarkable for the feathering of its tarsi and the base of the toes". Accompanying descriptive text is available.

Finely engraved original hand-coloured steel engraving by eminent Edinburgh engraver W.H. Lizars (1788-1859) for Jardine's Naturalist’s Library series of Humming-Birds published in London circa 1833.

Utilizing the expertise of eminent naturalists in each field, Jardine employed William Home Lizars to engrave over 1,200 different species of animals, fish, birds and insects. They are considered the finest miniature nature portraits ever done. Beautifully coloured, each stands out from its uncoloured engraved background. Sir William Jardine (1800-1874), was a naturalist who was particularly keen on ornithology - and also on Lizars’ sister Jane Home Lizars, whom he married.

This is one of the most delightful of all Lizars Hummingbird portraits in this series - despite the light shadow-offsetting from the adjacent page. 

Size of engraving is 9.5 x 16cm (3.75 x 6.25 inches).