Epitheria Collection (#34)

Three unicorns
Monoceros Unicornu and Caprinonq Marinq. Tab 10 from Beschriving Van de Natuur der Vier-voetige Dieren, 1660 by I. Johnston

Sea-horse
Page 234 from Curious Creatures in Zoology, 1890 by John Ashton

Modern Homo sapiens. A range of human remains (cranial and p
Cranium fragments belonging to Modern Homo sapiens dating back 12, 000 years ago discovered at Goughs Cave, Cheddar Gorge, Somerset

Mammoth
Skeleton of the mammoth in the St. Petersburg Museum. from The World before the Deluge Figuier 1981. by Louis Figier

Pteropus loochoensis, Okinawa flying fox
A rare specimen of an Okinawa flying fox skin from the collections of the Natural History Museum, London

Modern Homo sapiens cranium (Skhul V)
A front view of a cast of Skhul V discovered in 1932 on Mount Carmel, Israel. The original specimen is held at Harvards Peabody Museum. This specimen dates between 80, 000 and 100, 000 years old

Australopithecus africanus, the Taung child
A cast of a skull of Australopithecus africanus from Taung, Cape Province, South Africa. The original skull, thought to be of a child aged between 3-4 was discovered in 1924 by Raymond Dart

Hominid Fossil Collection
A sellection of items from the anthropologigical collections at the Natural History Museum, London

Convallaria polygonatum, solomons seal root
Illustration from the Botany Library Plate Collection held at the Natural History Museum, London

Diceros bicornis, horn of a black rhinoceros
A photograph of a black rhinoceros horn specimen from the collections of the Natural History Museum, London

Homo erectus cranium (Trinil 2)
A cranium (cast) belonging to Homo erectus discovered at Trinil near to the River Solo, Java, Indonesia by Eugene Dubois in 1891

Tibouchina clavata, bears ear
Finished watercolour by Sydney Parkinson made during Captain James Cooks first voyage across the Pacific, 1768-1771. Illustration annotated Melastoma quadrangularis

Buteo swainsoni, Swainsons hawk
Plate 372 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1835-38), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Molothrus ater, Passerella iliaca, Carpodacus mexicanus, Pas
Plate 424 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1835-38), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Larus argentatus, herring gull
Plate 291 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1834-35), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Synthliboramphus antiquus, Aethia cristatella, A. pusilla, C
Plate 402 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1835-38), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Ipswichian interglacial
Possible scene in Trafalgar Square, London, during the Ipswichian interglacial period (135, 000-70, 000 years before present) with hyena, elephant, hippopotamus, and lion

Pleistocene hunters, wider view
Pleistocene (1.8 million years ago - 11, 000 years ago) hunting party with mammoths and rhinoceros

Thames Valley in the Ipswichian Interglacial
Artists impression of the Thames Valley during the Ipswichian interglacial (135, 000 to 70, 000 years before present), with an elephant, hyaena, and hippopotami

Alouatta seniculus, red howler monkey
Portrait of a red howler monkey, native to the forests in various regions across South America. Photographed by Frank Greenaway

Hylobates concolor, crested gibbon
A portrait of a juvenille crested gibbon. Photographed by Frank Greenaway

Bubo bubo, northern eagle-owl
Watercolour and pencil by Edward Julius Detmold (c. 1930)

Carved nephrite
A tiki from New Zealand (left), a seal from British Colombia, and a Chinese vase all carved from nephrite. Nephrite is actually not a mineral outright, but is a variety of the mineral actinolite

Faceted chrysoberyl
Two cut stones of the gemstone chrysoberyl (beryllium aluminum oxide). This stone is also known as cats eyes

Chrysoberyl cats eyes
Two stones of Chrysoberyl (beryllium aluminum oxide), illustrating the similarity the gemstone has with a cats eye

Macheiramphus alcinus, bat hawk
A hand-coloured lithograph by Joseph Wolf, (c. 1860). This bird of prey hunts at dusk for bats. Native to Africa, South East Asia and New Guinea. Part of the Jardine Collection

Pleistocene glacial landscape
During the Pleistocene (1.8 million years ago to 10, 000 years), ice covered much of Britain north of the Thames. Cold climate animals included the woolly mammoth (left) Mammuthus primigenius

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"Exploring Epitheria: From Lucy to Lord Rothschild's Zebra-Drawn Trap" Epitheria, a term derived from the Greek words "epi" meaning upon and "therion" meaning beast, encompasses a vast array of fascinating creatures that have roamed our planet throughout history. One intriguing aspect of these beings is their sensory homunculus - a representation of how different body parts are mapped onto the brain. In the realm of paleontology, we cannot overlook the remarkable contributions made by Mary Anning (1799-1847). Her groundbreaking discoveries shed light on ancient life forms, including hominid crania. Among them stands Australopithecus afarensis (AL 288-1), affectionately known as Lucy. This iconic fossil provides crucial insights into our evolutionary journey. As we delve deeper into epitherian anatomy, another captivating concept emerges - the motor homunculus. Just like its sensory counterpart, this map reveals how various body regions control movement within the brain. Lucy once again takes center stage in this discussion as her skeletal remains offer valuable clues about locomotion in Australopithecus afarensis. Shifting gears from primates to an eccentric tale involving Lord Walter Rothschild and his zebra-drawn trap. This peculiar contraption showcases both human ingenuity and curiosity towards capturing exotic animals for study or display. While mammals dominate the world of epitheria, other species deserve recognition too. Ballyregan Bob, a legendary greyhound known for his speed and agility; Indian elephants majestically roaming c. 1898 landscapes; Neofelis nebulosa diardi with its mesmerizing clouded coat; Lama pacos enchanting us with their soft alpaca wool – all exemplify nature's diversity within this group. Not forgetting insects' contribution to epitheria's tapestry. Cladognathus sp.