McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Little Grebe
Little Grebe, non-breeding
Tachybaptus ruficollis
Char. Collins Fect. 1736;
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 non-breeding Little Grebes from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Little Grebe (Podiceps fluviatilis) Char. Collins Fect. 1736;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: The Dipper or Dabchick Columbus sive Podicipes Minor
Scientific name: Tachybaptus ruficollis
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Podicipes Minor.
Will. orn. p. 340
The
Didapper, or Dipper
or
Dobchick
No. 43.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Podicipes Minor.
Will. orn. p. 340
The
Didapper, or Dipper
or
Dobchick
No. 43.