McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Mauritius Dodo [female]
Dodo
Raphus cucullatus
Charles Collins c 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 Dodo from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: extinct].
Framed.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Mauritius Dodo [female] (Raphus cucullatus) Charles Collins c 1736
Scientific name: Raphus cucullatus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Gallinae Didus
97 Didus.
Rostrum medio coarctatum. rugis
duabus transversis: utraque mandi-
-bula inflexo apice.
Facies ultra occulos nuda
[Notes by Ths. Pennant]
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Gallinae Didus
97 Didus.
The beak is compressed in the middle, with two
transverse creases, and a curved tip to
either mandible.
The face is bare over the eyes.
[Notes by Ths. Pennant]