Squawk Talk and the SB Audubon Society

Daniel Giraud Elliot was the preeminent American ornithologist of the late 19th century. He was a founder of the American Museum of Natural History and later served as curator of zoology at the Field Museum in Chicago. Using his personal fortune, he published lavishly illustrated books on birds and animals. The illustrations were executed first by Elliot himself and later by the renowned wildlife artist Joseph Wolf. Mastering the medium of lithography, Elliot used it to capture the essential character of his subjects. Drawing with a lithographic crayon, he created soft, expressive lines that suggested movement. His lavish publications were among the last of their kind, appearing as the era of grand illustrated natural history was drawing to a close.