The portrait of a hummingbird, which has been placed on British £10 notes in honour of Charles Darwin, has caused controversy due to its fictitious association.

There is nothing more praiseworthy or honorable as having a portrait or image to acclaim the achievements of an esteemed and valued figure printed on a bank note. Images of the British Monarch have appeared on bank notes since 1960, which has given the Queen a unique distinction over previous monarchs. In short, those appearing on a bank note represent the “best of British”.  

However, the latest “utmost accolade” to be printed on a British bank note has caused disagreement and controversy and has been described as “little more than fiction”.

The picture of a hummingbird placed on £10 notes in Britain in order to honour the life of Charles Darwin has causes much contempt for its inaccurate associations with the artist’s work and life.

According to Professor Jones from University College London, depicting a hummingbird on the bank notes is a complete mistake. He spoke about the apparent misdemeanor at the opening of the Natural History Museum’s exhibition, “The note is supposed to encapsulate Darwin’s trip to the Galapagos, with him looking at the hummingbird as a source of inspiration – but there are no hummingbirds on the island”.

The professor, who had failed to receive any response after he had contacted the Bank of England about the issue asserted, “Mockingbirds and finches were important in getting Darwin thinking about evolution, but hummingbirds played no role at all. Hummingbirds are not even mentioned in On the Origin of Species.”

Professor Steve Jones is outraged that a trusted and revered institution like the Bank of England advocates delusions and deceit about evolution, and he referred to the matter as “not a trivial issue.”

By using visual associations of such a respected and historical figure who transformed the way the world thinks about evolution and nature, in the professor’s view, The Bank of England, at the very least, should be using accurate images as a mark of respect.   

Gabrielle Pickard for RT

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