McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Linnet
Eurasian Linnet, male and female
Linaria cannabina
Cha.r 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 male and female Eurasian Linnet from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Linnet (Acanthis cannabina) Cha.r Collins Fect. 1739;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: The greater Red headed Linnet Linaria rubra major W. p. 260
Scientific name: Linaria cannabina
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Fringilla
The Grisola of Aldrovandus
Will p 211
This bird is also described by
Will p. 217
as a small Bird without a name
perchance the Moucherolle of
Bellonius.
This Description very well agrees with
my Bird.
The 7th ficedula of Aldrov:
v. Will Orn p. 216
Aves Passeres Fringilla
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Fringilla