McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Common Wigeon [male] & [female]
Eurasian Wigeon, male
Mareca penelope
Char. Collins Fect. 1736/7;
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 male Eurasian Wigeons from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Common Wigeon [male] & [female] (Mareca Penelope) Char. Collins Fect. 1736/7;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: The common Wigeon or Whewer Penelope Aldrov. Anas fistularis W. 375
Scientific name: Mareca penelope
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Penolope
Anus [Anas] cauda acutiuscula subtus
nigra capite brunneo fronte Alba
L.N.S. [sic] p. 126
habitat in Europa Maritimis et
paludibus
The
Red headed Wigeon
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Penolope
Anus [Anas] with a slightly pointed tail
that is black underneath, a brown head, and a white forehead.
L.N.S. [sic] p. 126
It lives in Europe by the sea and in
swamps.
The
Red headed Wigeon