McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
British Great Titmouse
Great Tit
Parus major
Cha. Collins Fect. May 1743
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 pair of Great Tits from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: Europe, the Middle East, and Asia].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: British Great Titmouse (Parus major Newtoni) Cha. Collins Fect. May 1743
Scientific name: Parus major
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Parus
Major
3 Parus capite nigro temporibus albis,
nucha lutea. L.N.S. [sic] p. 189
The
Great Titmouse
or
Ox Eye
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Parus
Major
3 Parus with a black head, white temples,
and a yellow nape. L.N.S. [sic] p. 189
The
Great Titmouse
or
Ox Eye