McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Cougar, Mountain Lion, Puma
Puma concolor
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 Cougar--also known as a Mountain Lion or a Puma--from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: North America and South America.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on back of drawing: III Fera, Felis 6 Catus Leonis color flavescente Leonis labiis albis & mustachiis albis, fundo nigro, magnitudine Leopardo aequalis The Lyon Cat from Senegal Jan. 21 1760
Scientific name: Puma concolor
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Ferae Felis
Catus Leonis
Felis colore flavente labiis &
mustachiis albis. fundo nigro
magnitudine Leopardo aequalis
Habitat
The Lyon Cat
This Beast was brought from
Senegal Jan 21 1760
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Ferae Felis
Catus Leonis
Felis with a golden-yellow colour, white lips
and whiskers, and a black rear.
It is the same size as the Leopard.
It lives
The Lyon Cat
This Beast was brought from
Senegal Jan 21 1760