Stephen Lewis Detail from the color plate of the bridled weasel, also known as the long-tailed weasel, from Audubon’s book of mammals. Stephen Lewis Detail from the color plate of John James ...

3 The Library's collections include Mark Catesby's Natural History of Carolina, John James Audubon's The Birds of America and Maria Sibylla Merian’s illustrations of insect metamorphosis in Surinam.

It's not hard to imagine why a group of teenagers might attempt to steal John James Audubon's book The Birds of America ... size and value. The iconic illustrations - of which there are 435 colour ...