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Indian Chevrotain or Mouse Deer?
Indian Spotted Chevrotain
Moschiola meminna
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 an Indian Spotted Chevrotain from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: India and Sri Lanka.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Indian Chevrotain or Mouse Deer? (Tragulus memmina)
Manuscript note on back of drawing: No 16 called by the Congolese Walmica Length 1 foot weight ~5.14 oz Mr Loton Gov of Zeylon. Mr Penant called it Tragulus of Ceylon.
Scientific name: Moschiola meminna
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Pecora Cervus
Tragulus
Cervus Longitudine 1. pedes
Pondus 5lb. 14 oz.
Habitat Insula Zeylonica
The Small deer of Ceylon
This Drawing was copyed from one of Mr Loton
who was Governor of Ceylon
it was called in Ceylon The Cinglose Walmica
& from the authority of this Curious observer
and the Dificulty of Procuring the Original I
have given it a place in this Collection.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Pecora Cervus
Tragulus
Cervus Length: 1 foot
Weight: 5lb. 14 oz.
It lives on the island of Ceylon.
The Small deer of Ceylon
This Drawing was copyed from one of Mr Loton
who was Governor of Ceylon
it was called in Ceylon The Cinglose Walmica
& from the authority of this Curious observer
and the Dificulty of Procuring the Original I
have given it a place in this Collection.