MOST 19TH CENTURY

This lot contains the feathers from a number of extinct birds, including that of the iconic Great Auk. The Great Auk, a large flightless bird, became extinct in the mid-19th century. Though a strong swimmer, the Great Auk was clumsy on land and became an easy food source for early European explorers to the Americas. Unlike the Dodo, the Great Auk generated a number of early environmental laws to protect its numbers once scientists realised that the populations were depleting. These laws proved ineffective as the demand from museums and collectors for the pelts and eggs increased.