McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Black Headed Gull, immature
Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Item
1 watercolour painting ; 56 x 39 cm
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 Black Headed Gull from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Europe, Africa, Asia, and the East coast of North America.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Scientific name: Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Anseres Larus
4 Cinerius
Larus Albus dorso cano, macula pone Occulos
fusco. Lin: S: N ed: 12 mo p 224.
Habitat in Europa L:S.N. 224 Ed: 120
Gavia cinerea minor. Bris: av 6. p 7. 178. t. 17 f. 2
Larus cinereus minor. Bris: av Aldr: orn 3. p. 72. t. 74
Larus albus major Wil: orn. 264. t. 129. n. 9.
Larus marinus albus. Gesn av. 589.
Habitat in Europa
difert a Larus cano imprimis macula inter Occulos
et Aures fusca. L.S.N. ed: 12mo. p. 224.
The Winter Mew or Coddy moddy.
This bird in Autumn comes ore our Downs &
pasture lands & is not bad food.
No. 31.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Anseres Larus
4 Cinerius
Larus Albus [The white...] with a greyish back, and
a tawny patch behind the eyes. Lin: S: N ed: 12mo p 224.
It lives in Europe. L:S.N. 224 Ed: 120
Gavia cinerea minor. Bris: av 6. p 7. 178. t. 17 f. 2
Larus cinereus minor. Bris: av Aldr: orn 3. p. 72. t. 74
Larus albus major Wil: orn. 264. t. 129. n. 9.
Larus marinus albus. Gesn av. 589.
It lives in Europe.
It differs from the white Larus particularly by the tawny
patch between the eyes and ears. L.S.N. ed: 12mo. p. 224.
The Winter Mew or Coddy moddy.
This bird in Autumn comes [over] our Downs &
pasture lands & is not bad food.
No. 31.