Every hummingbird carries with it a story, a story of the unbelievable endurance through transcontinental migration and survival against all odds. This magnificent volume reunites the family of hummingbirds - all 418 species that were known to exist when John Gould set out to capture them on paper in 1849. His twelve-year quest, in which he enlisted the help of many fellow artists including Edward Lear, resulted in this master work of natural history. As his predecessor John James Audubon did, Gould took what was then a revolutionary approach--depicting the birds as they are in life, in their native habitats. The Family of Hummingbirds represents a monumental achievement of both art and science, and this volume holds a trove of delights for art lovers and nature lovers alike.