McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
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H3A 0C9
Brazilian Squirrel, Guianan Squirrel
Sciurus aestuans
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 Brazilian Squirrel--also known as a Guianan Squirrel--from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: South America.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on back of drawing: Sciurus flavus 4 S. auriculis subrotandis, pedibus pentadactylis Habitat in America.
Scientific name: Sciurus aestuans
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Pecora Sciurus
4 Flavus.
Sciurus auriculis subrotundis, pedibus
pentadactylis, corpore luteo.
Sciurus cauda tereti, pilis brevioribus, auriculis
subrotundis Amoen: acad: 1 p 281.
Habitat in America Carthagenae
Magnitudine dimidio minor Sciuro vulgari,
apicibus pilorum albis, Polex anticus solo fere
ungue constat. L.S.N. ed. 12o p. 86
The Yellow Squirrel
From Carthagena
Vol 6 N 24
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Pecora Sciurus
4 Flavus.
Sciurus with somewhat rounded ears, five-toed feet,
and a yellow body.
Sciurus with a rounded tail, shorter hair,
and somewhat rounded ears. Amoen: acad: 1 p 281.
It lives in American Carthage.
It is half the size of the Sciurus vulgaris [red squirrel],
with white-tipped hair. The foremost thumb consists entirely
of a single nail. L.S.N. ed. 12o p. 86
The Yellow Squirell
From Carthagena
Vol 6 N 24