Heliothrix Phainolaema (Black-eared Fairy).

From A Monograph of the Trochilidae, or Family of Humming-Birds, 6 vols., large folio. Published in London, 1849–1887. Printed by Hullmandel and Walter from drawings by J. Gould, H. C. Richter, and William Hart, lithographed by the artists.

The Black-eared Fairy is a delicate and graceful species, distinguished by its slender form, white underparts, and shimmering green upper plumage accented by the dark ear patch that gives it its name. In this hand-colored lithograph, the bird is depicted hovering among tropical blooms, its long tail streamers rendered with exceptional fineness. Gould’s use of iridescent pigment conveys the luminous quality of the hummingbird’s feathers, an innovation that set his work apart from other ornithological illustrators of the era.

John Gould’s Monograph of the Trochilidae represents the pinnacle of nineteenth-century ornithological art and ambition. Created over nearly four decades, the series combined meticulous field observation with the technical mastery of artists such as Henry Constantine Richter and William Hart. Gould personally oversaw every stage of production, ensuring both scientific accuracy and aesthetic harmony. The result is a body of work that remains unmatched in its beauty, scale, and devotion to one of nature’s most captivating bird families.