The physical remains of the dodo that are left are very limited. Two complete skeletons, some twenty skeletons, composed of different fragments found in Mauritius and some odd bits and pieces. A large number of dodo paintings, drawings and watercolours were made in the time that the dodo was still in existence. A careful analysis revealed that most of the artists worked from earlier sketches, or copied works from fellow artists. In this way the pictures by those well known artists, could be traced to one single example. A meticulous study with the assistance of present day bird painters, has led to the conclusion that these portrayals were based on a stuffed specimen, that might have been in the process of decomposition and probably improved by salesmen by means of adding feathers belonging to other birds. Once all the dubious illustrations had been eliminated, the picture of the dodo arrived at by this method gave us an answer to many questions which were impossible to answer by any other means.