McGill Library
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Black-crowned Night Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
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 Black-crowned Night Heron from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax hoatctli)
Scientific name: Nycticorax nycticorax
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Nycticorax
Ardea crista occipitis tripenni
dependente, dorso nigro, abdomine
flavescente. L.S.N. p 142
The Night Raven
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Nycticorax
Ardea with a three-feathered crest
hanging from the hindhead, a black back,
and a golden-yellow abdomen. L.S.N. p. 142
The Night Raven