McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
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H3A 0C9
Magpie
Eurasian Magpie
Pica pica
Chas. 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 Eurasian Magpie from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Europe; Central and East Asia].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Magpie (Pica pica) Chas. Collins Fect 1739.
Manuscript note on back of drawing: Corvus Pica Linei. The Magpie or Pranet. Pica varia Caudata. W.127
Scientific name: Pica pica
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Picae Corvus
Pica
13 C. albo nigroque varius cauda
cuneiformi. L.S.N. p. 106
The Magpie
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Picae Corvus
Pica
13 C. spotted with white and black, with a wedge-shaped
tail. L.S.N. p.106
The Magpie