This previously unknown 17th century drawing of the famous dodo bird of Mauritius is being auctioned by Christies of London. Drawn before the bird became extinct as a result of human predation and habitat eradication around 1700, it was the main predator on the Indian Ocean island until the introduction of bigger animals such as pigs and macaque monkeys. The word "Dronte" above the flightless bird was its old Dutch name. The vibrant drawing is expected to bring £6,000. However an expert on dodos at the British Museum of Natural History said the drawing is "not very good even by contemporary standards". No doubt a live dodo bird would be much more interesting a study.[image: UK Daily Telegraph]