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Worksop Bestiary
England, possibly in Lincoln or York
ca. 1185
215 x 155 mm
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837–1913) in 1902
MS M.81, fols. 52v–53r
Description:
Ercinea (left)
The Ercinea is a bird thought to have glowing feathers, whose luminosity is emphasized here by gold leaf applied against a contrasting red and blue medallion.
Partridge (right)
The partridge here is likely carrying off her eggs to hide them from male partridges, which “often harm them.”