The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History recently had an exhibit of bird illustrations from the 16oo's to the 1800's. It was not always easy for these early illustrators to capture a life-like appearance from their taxidermy specimens..some of these birds were in the exhibit, and they looked kind of lumpy with cotton in their eyes. I have a series of plates I am making inspired by the early bird illustrations- from this turtle dove, to a redwing, to a dodo bird!