Taxidermy: A Cased Pair of Extinct New Zealand Huias (†Heteralocha acutirostris), circa late 19th century, by James E. Whiting, Naturalist 19 Heath St, Hampstead, London, a pair of superb quality full mount adults, the female perched slightly above the male, both perched upon a centrally positioned simulated tree branch, three colourful hummingbirds to the centre, upper right, and left, mounted amidst enhanced natural flora, grasses, ferns and fauna, above painted faux rocks to the groundwork, set against a graduated blue and pink sky back drop, enclosed within a four-glass table display case, 46.5cm by 21cm by 53cm, bearing taxidermist's full paper trade label to interior lower right.

The Huia birds extinction had two primary causes. The first was rampant overhunting to procure huia skins for mounted specimens and their tail feathers for hat decorations. The second major cause was the widespread deforestation of the lowlands of the North Island by European settlers to create pasture for agriculture. Most of these forests were ancient, ecologically complex primary forests, and huia were unable to survive in regenerating secondary forests.

It was already a rare bird before the arrival of Europeans, confined to the Ruahine, Tararua, Rimutaka and Kaimanawa mountain ranges in the south-east of the North Island. It was remarkable for having the most pronounced sexual dimorphism in bill shape of any bird species in the world. The female's beak was long, thin and arched downward, while the male's was short and stout, like that of a crow. Males were 45 cm (18 in) long, while females were larger at 48 cm (19 in). The sexes were otherwise similar, with orange wattles and deep metallic, bluish-black plumage with a greenish iridescence on the upper surface, especially about the head. The tail feathers were unique among New Zealand birds in having a broad white band across the tips. The last confirmed sighting of a huia was in 1907, although there was a credible sighting in 1924.

James Edmund Whiting was born in Steeple Claydon Buckinghamshire in 1848. He moved to Welbeck, Nottinghamshire, and worked as a plumber according to the 1871 census, not appearing again until 1891 when he is living at 41 Heath Street, Hampstead, working as a taxidermist, the same in 1901. By 1911 he is based at 5 South Street, Hampstead, still working as a taxidermist. He died at his home, Spaniards Road, Hampstead in 1930 aged 82 years.