Painting of a grey heron, with white neck and head, darker back feathers, with black accents. foliage close to shape of bird's body, with rock and water further in background. Inscription at bottom left reads, "Common Heron [male glyph] (ardea cinerea)."
Painting of a grey heron, with grey-spotted white neck and head, darker back feathers, with grey feathers at top of head. no background. Inscription at bottom left reads, "Common Heron [female glyph] {ardea cinerea)," with "Ardea major" pencilled in lower right corner.
Painting of a bright orange bird with dark spots and banding across the back and body, white speckled belly, dark-tipped wings. Open mouth. No background other than some shading/shadows around the body of the bird. Inscription at bottom centre reads, "Banded bay cuckoo (Penthoceryx sonnerati)."
Painting of a blue-grey bird with lighter chest and darker wings/tail feathers, posed with wings slightly out and mouth open. No background. Inscription at bottom centre reads, "Small cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus)."
The collection contains 164 botanical and zoological paintings created chiefly by Elizabeth Gwillim as well as possibly by her sister Mary Symonds while living in Chennai, India (then Madras). The collection includes 121 watercolours of birds with inscriptions, 31 watercolours of fish, and twelve of flowers, drawn from life rather than specimens. The paintings reflect the sisters' time in Madras during which, as artists and letter writers, they created a substantial visual record of the landscape and inhabitants of Madras and environs. The paintings also reflect Gwillim's scientific pursuits, including her study of botany.
Mounted painting of a brown owl with white face mask, light gold belly, brown speckled chest and back, standing in front of rocky outcrop with minimal foliage. Inscriptions pencilled in lower right side of painting read, "Strix bubo" and "Huhna bengalensis (71)."
Painting of a yellow bird with gold accents on back, white chest/belly with darker spots. Brown beak and wings. Inscription at bottom centre reads, "European or Golden Oriele [female symbol] (oriolus galbula)."
Small bird in its white phase, with black head and tall feathered ridge, white body with some black stripes and long black tail feathers. Perched on thin branch in the top left corner with some light branches, more foliage pencilled in on right side. Other marks/sketches in the blank space, right side of partial landscape is only pencilled in. Inscription at bottom centre reads, "Indian paradise flycatcher ad. (Terpsiphone paradisi)."
Mounted painting of a small white and beige heron in breeding plumage with darker, red back feathers, in sparse landscape with rocks, minimal foliage, and some mountains in right distance. Inscription at bottom left, on painted ground reads, "Pond Heron or Paddy Bird (ardeola grayi)."
Painting of a small brown heron with spots along the chest and lighter belly, in non-breeding plumage. Very detailed foreground and marshy landscape, with water and reeds in the background, elaborate and likely specific types of plants along the front.