Medieval Birds in the Sherborne Missal by Janet Backhouse (formerly Curator of Illuminated Manuscripts, The British Library, London)
The Sherborne Missal, one of the greatest English medieval manuscripts, contains a wealth of marginal illustrations of wild birds. From over 170 images, over half can be identified to 40 species, and although many are imaginary birds and fantasies, the manuscript offers an unparalleled insight into England's medieval natural history.