The Pacific Reef Heron was one of the species that troubled John Gould  in classifying. Since the species varies from pure white to blackish blue and its range from the tropics to the more temperate parts of Australia, this is not surprising. He assigned this specimen as a Blue Reef Heron, of which he was supplied with numerous examples from all over Australia.
The original letterpress description accompanies this lithograph.
 
Published in The Birds of Australia. 1840-1848.
 
Author. John Gould.
 
Artist. John Gould and Henry Richter.
 
Lithograph. Original hand colour.
 
Paper size. 545 mm x 365 mm.
 
Condition. EXCELLENT.
 
Acquired from the Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Canada.