McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Bald Eagle, immature
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Item
1 watercolour painting ; 56 x 39 cm + 1 leaf
Peter Paillou was born in London into a Huguenot family and was recognised in his own time as an eminent ‘bird painter’. In 1744 he began to paint for Taylor White and worked for him for almost thirty years, painting chiefly birds and mammals. He painted as well for Robert More, Joseph Banks, and for the Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant. Many of his paintings of birds were used as the basis for book illustrations, often engraved by his colleague and fellow Huguenot, Peter Mazell. Paillou was elected to the Society of Artists and in 1763 he exhibited ‘A Piece of Birds, in Watercolours; the Hen of the Wood and Cock of the Red Game’. In 1778, to considerable approval, he also showed a picture of ‘A Horned Owl from Peru’, completely made from feathers.
Drawing of an immature Bald Eagle from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: North America.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on back of drawing: The Great head head masted Eagle
Scientific name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aquila Capite Magno
A. rostro & caera [cera] albicantibus
Palpebris albis. Capite
magno Fusco. Cauda fusca
Remigibus Nigris,
Dorso Alis & Pectore
albis. Nigro & fusco Variegatis
magnitudine Maxima
The Great headed Eagle
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aquila Capite magno [The Great headed eagle]
A. with a white beak & cere,
and white eyes; a large tawny
head; a tawny tail,
black flight feathers on the wings, and
a white back, wings, and breast;
It is variegated black & tawny;
It is of a very large size.
The Great headed Eagle