Glorious Eagle
How must evolution have designed the eagle? Consider the neural avionics that would be needed simply for hunting.In this drawing, Augustine has imagined a prototype eagle on the workbench of the gods. It is a mechanical rendition is purely for studying the airframe. The more beautiful flesh and blood creature would follow.
The wing to your left was not completed as the artist felt to do so would add far to much weight to the drawing. Inspired by the Venus de Milo, the wing was "broken" to achieve artistic purity. Its grace of line as it trails off into space enhances the aesthetic grace and balance.
Upon viewing the drawing, an ornithologist commented that the beak should be hooked. Augustine claimed he had an out inasmuch as this version was a prototype. The ornithologist would not accept such a lame excuse and argued that Augustine simply did not know his birds. The artist later mailed a note to the ornithologist:
Memo to the gods: Hook the beak on the production model or the ornithologists will screech.