The Bird Room

Before entering the Bird Room notice in the corridor the portrait of the celebrated 18th century courtesan Kitty Fisher by James Northcote, R.A.

Playfair designed the Bird Room in Gothic style to accommodate this large collection of stuffed birds. There are examples of the Great Bustard (pictured right), the Osprey and the Red Kite. The rarest bird is the Passenger Pigeon which has been extinct since the turn of this century.

In the centre of the room is a show case containing minerals, fossils and coins, collected by the Roxburghe family.