McGill Library
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Great Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Greater Sulfur-crested Cockatoo
Cacatua galerita galerita
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 Greater Sulfur-crested Cockatoo from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Eastern Australia (Cape York to Tasmania). Has been introduced to Indonesia and the Palau Islands.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Great Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cactus galerita)
Scientific name: Cacatua galerita galerita
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Cristatus
P. Brachyurus albus, crista
dependente flava.
Habitat in China. LSN p.99
The Cockatoo the female
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Cristatus
P. brachyurus albus, [The white crested cockatoo], with a
hanging yellow crest.
It lives in China. L.S.N. p.99
The Cockatoo the female