McGill Library
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H3A 0C9
Grey Woodpecker [male]
Grey-headed Woodpecker
Picus canus
Cha. Collins Fect 1741
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 Grey-headed Woodpecker from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Europe (excluding the United Kingdom); Asia: the mountainous regions of Northern India, Bhutan, mainland Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Korea, Altai Mountains, Eastern China, and Hokaido, Japan].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Grey Woodpecker [male](Gecinus canus) Cha. Collins Fect 1741;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: Picus Viridis Capita Caerulescente; Green Woodpecker with a bluish head from Norway. I believe it undescribed.
Scientific name: Picus canus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Picus Viridis Capite
Cinereo Edwd. p. 65
Habitat in Norvegia
The Grey Headed Green
Wood Pecker
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Picus Viridis Capite
Cinereo [The green woodpecker with a grey head] Edw[ar]d p.65
It lives in Norway.
The Grey Headed Green
Wood Pecker