Disappearing birds

John Gould's Birds of Great Britain (1862 - 1873) was the one of the first bird books to accurately depict British birds in their habitats. He commissioned three illustrators - Henry Richter, Joseph Wolf, and William Hart - to prepare the 367 lithographs which showcased the wide range of species one might see.

Nowadays, the UK is recognised as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, with a 68 percent decrease in population sizes of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and fish since 1970.

The daguerreotypes in this series highlight this loss by focussing on those species which were very common until only recently.