McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Black Winged Stilt
Himantopus himantopus
Item
1 watercolour painting ; 56 x 39 cm + 1 leaf
Charles Collins was an Irish painter, known for his portraits of animals and still-lifes. He achieved success in England painting exotic birds, game, dogs and dead game still-lifes. He was the painter for Robert Furber’s ‘Twelve Months of Fruit’ (1732). In 1736 he published in collaboration with John Lee a set of 12 large engravings, coloured by hand, of British birds in landscape and garden settings, entitled Icones avium cum nominibus anglicis. He then came to the attention of Taylor White, who engaged him to paint birds from his and others’ collections until 1743. Collins died in 1744, when he was described as ‘Bird Painter to the Royal Society.’
Drawing of a possible Black Winged Stilt from a 18th century specimen [Attributed to Collins, Charles].
Manuscript note on back of drawing: Q. If the Godwit described by Willoughby p. 293
Scientific name: Himantopus himantopus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Limosa
Scolopax rostro recto laevi
pedibus fuscis, remigibus
macula alba quatuor primis
immaculatis.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Limosa
Scolopax with a straight, smooth beak,
tawny feet, flight feathers on the wings
with a white patch, and four unmarked
primary feathers.