McGill Library
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Blue-breasted Quail
Blue-breasted Quail, King Quail
Synoicus chinensis
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 pair of Blue-breasted King Quails from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: India, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Blue-breasted Quail (Excalfactoria sinensis)
Scientific name: Synoicus chinensis
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Galliae Tetrao
19 Chinensis
Ictruo pedibus nudis muticiis [muticis], corpore griseo
maculato, jugula nigro, arcu
albo. L.S.N. ed. 12 p. 277.
coturnix chinensis Ed. av. 77 & 247.
Coturnus Philippensis Briss. av. 2. p254
t. 25. fig. 7.
Habitat in China. Philipinis. cum
Coturnix, quem vivum Portat [Portant] Chinen-
ses, ut hyeme [hieme] manus calefaciant
orb iter 190
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Galliae Tetrao
19 Chinensis
Ictruo with short bare feet, a spotted
grey body, and a black throat with a white
arch. L.S.N. ed. 12 p. 277.
coturnix chinensis Ed. av. 77 & 247.
Coturnus Philippensis Briss. av. 2. p254
t. 25. fig. 7.
It lives in China and the Philippines, with
the Coturnix, which the Chinese carry alive,
so as to warm up their hands in winter.
orb iter 190