McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Lesser Redpoll
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammea
Char Collins Fect. 1739;
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 pair of Common Redpolls from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: the United States, Canada, Europe, Central Asia, Northeastern Asia, and New Zealand].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Lesser Redpoll (Acanthis linaria cabaret) Char Collins Fect. 1739;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: The Lesser red headed Linnet Linaria rubra minor W. 260
Scientific name: Acanthis flammea
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Fringilla
29 Linaria rubra minor
The lesser Red headed
Linnet. W. p. 260
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Fringilla
29 Linaria rubra minor
The lesser Red headed
Linnet. W. p. 260