McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Baltimore Oriole [male] & [female]
Baltimore Oriole, male and female
Icterus galbula
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 a pair of male and female Baltimore Orioles from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: North America, Northern Venezuela, and Colombia.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Baltimore Oriole [male] & [female] (Icterus galbula) The Baltimore Bird
Scientific name: Icterus galbula
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Picae Oriolus
10 Baltimore
Oriolus nigricans, subtus fasciaque
Alarum fulvus. LSN p 164 ed nov.
Icterus minor Briss. av. 2. p. 109. t 12 f. 1
Icterus ex aureo nigroque varius. Catesb. car. 1
p. 48. t 48
Habitat in America septentrionali.
Nidus e bifurcatura ramorum instar marsupii
dependens.
The Baltimore Bird
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Picae Oriolus
10 Baltimore
Oriolus nigricans [The black oriole], with reddish-yellow underparts, and with a reddish-yellow band on the wings. LSN p 164 ed nov.
Icterus minor Briss. av. 2. p. 109. t 12 f. 1
Icterus variegated gold and black.
Catesb. car. 1 p. 48. t 48
It lives in North America.
The nest hanging down from the forking of branches
resembles a pouch.
The Baltimore Bird