First edition of the first comprehensive, illustrated bird guide for Australia, scarce.

Neville W. Cayley (1886-1950) was the son of the bird artist Neville Henry Penniston Cayley, who had emigrated to Australia from Kent. After art school he focused on ornithology, publishing his first booklet, Our Birds, in 1918. His most important contribution, 'What Bird is That? A Guide to the Birds of Australia (1931) was the first comprehensive field guide that was intended as a bird identification book in Australia. During the early 20th century, there was a growing interest in amateur ornithology, and Cayley had hoped that his book would encourage nature lovers to extend their knowledge and appreciation of Australian bird life... Subsequent editions were published up until the 1990s and it became a classic ornithological work' ('Origins of Australian Ornithology: The Evolution of Australia's Bird Reference Books', Biodiversity Heritage Library).

In addition to What Bird is That?, Cayley illustrated eggs for the Australian Encyclopaedia, published books on specific species (fairy wrens, parrots, and budgerigars) and also illustrated texts on butterflies and furred animals. He served as president of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales and the Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union, among others (Australian Dictionary of Biography).

First edition; 8vo; 36 colour plates, 8 plates from monochrome photographs, map within the text, foxing to the early and late leaves, the rest of the contents toned and with occasional spotting, pencilled manuscript notes to the rear free endpaper, short closed tear to page 5; original green cloth, kookaburra design to upper board in dark green, spine darkened, cloth rubbed with wear at the extremities, mild dampstain to corner of upper board, production flaw wrinkles in the front pastedown, very good condition; 319pp.