Monographie Des Picidées (1861-1862)

​Alfred Malherbe (1804–1865) was a French magistrate and amateur naturalist born in Mauritius to a family originally from Metz. After studying law, he was appointed to the Metz Tribunal in 1832, where he served as an examining judge, vice-president, and court counselor. In his spare time, Malherbe pursued his passion for nature, dedicating himself to botany, zoology, and especially ornithology. He authored the “Monographie des picidées,” a comprehensive four-volume work on woodpeckers, published between 1861 and 1862. This monograph, printed in only 120 copies, features detailed descriptions accompanied by hand-colored lithographs. Malherbe also studied the birds of Algeria and Sicily, describing numerous species. He served as the administrator of the Museum of Metz and presided over the Société d’histoire naturelle de Metz from 1844 until his death.