McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Common Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Cha. Collins Fect. 1739
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 Common Sandpiper from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Common Sandpiper (Tringa Hypoleucos) Cha. Collins Fect. 1739
Scientific name: Actitis hypoleucos
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Hypoleucos
Tringa rostro laevi, pedibus lividis
corpore cinereo, Lituris nigris;
subtus Albo, L.S.N. p. 149
habitat in Europa
The Horse Snipe
No. 10.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Hypoleucos
Tringa with a smooth beak, bluish feet,
an ash-coloured body with black smears,
and white underparts, L.S.N. p. 149.
It lives in Europe.
The Horse Snipe
No. 10.