McGill Library
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Common Tern
Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
Cha. Collins Fect. June 1742;
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 Tern from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: worldwide].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) Cha. Collins Fect. June 1742;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: The sea swallow, Hirundo marina, Sterna of Turner, Spuver of Gesner. W. 352
Scientific name: Sterna hirundo
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Hirundo
Sterna cauda forficata: rectricibus
duabus extimis albo nigroque dimidiatis.
L.S.N. p. 137
Habitat in Europa.
The
Sea Swallow
No. 44
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Hirundo
Sterna with a scissored-tail with two outermost flight
feathers that are half white and half black.
L.S.N. p. 137
It lives in Europe.
The
Sea Swallow
No. 44