McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Bittern
Great Bittern
Botaurus stellaris
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 Great Bittern from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Europe, Asia, and Africa.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Bittern (Botaurus stellaris)
Scientific name: Botaurus stellaris
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Stellaris.
Ardea capite laeviusculo, supra
testacea maculis transversis, subtus
palidior maculis oblongis fuscis
L.S.N. p. 144 habitat in Europa
The Bittern
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Stellaris.
Ardea with a smooth head, brick-coloured upperparts
with horizontal patches, paler underparts
with tawny oblong patches.
L.S.N. p. 144 It lives in Europe.
The Bittern