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Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Merlin
General material designation
Parallel title
Other title information
Falco columbarius
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title based on 2019 species identification.
Level of description
Item
Repository
Reference code
CA RBD MSG BW002-395
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
-
undated (Creation)
- Creator
- Paillou, Peter, approximately 1720-approximately 1790
Physical description area
Physical description
1 watercolour painting ; 56 x 39 cm + 1 leaf
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
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Archival description area
Name of creator
(approximately 1720-approximately 1790)
Biographical history
Peter Paillou was born in London into a Huguenot family and was recognised in his own time as an eminent ‘bird painter’. In 1744 he began to paint for Taylor White and worked for him for almost thirty years, painting chiefly birds and mammals. He painted as well for Robert More, Joseph Banks, and for the Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant. Many of his paintings of birds were used as the basis for book illustrations, often engraved by his colleague and fellow Huguenot, Peter Mazell. Paillou was elected to the Society of Artists and in 1763 he exhibited ‘A Piece of Birds, in Watercolours; the Hen of the Wood and Cock of the Red Game’. In 1778, to considerable approval, he also showed a picture of ‘A Horned Owl from Peru’, completely made from feathers.
Custodial history
Scope and content
Drawing of a pair of Merlins from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: North America, Europe, Russia, Central and Northeast Asia, and Northern South America.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
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Finding aids
Associated materials
Accruals
General note
Manuscript note on back of drawing: The Small Carolina Hawks Catesby
General note
Scientific name: Falco columbarius
Accompanying material
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Accompanying material
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Accipitres Falco
20 Sparverius LSN. p.128
- Falco cera lutea, capite fusco, vertice
abdomineq[ue] rubro. alis caerulescentibus.
Accipiter minor Catesb. carol. 1 p.5. t.5.
Aesalon Carolinensis Brison: av. p.386
t 32. fig. 1. Habitat in America.
Faemina caput cingitur maculis 7 nigrantibus
The small Carolina Hawk.
These Birds were sent from Carolina. if
the same species with those described by
Linaeus the diference of Colour may have
been occasion by Age.
but the spots on the Breast & thighs agree
so to the European Aesalon that I make no
doubt but that Brisonius gave the name
of his bird from the similitude of ye stripes
or spots.
Accompanying material
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Accipitres Falco
20 Sparverius LSN. p.128
20 Falco with a yellow cere, tawny head, red crown
and abdomen; and blue wings.
Accipiter minor Catesb. carol. 1 p.5. t.5.
Aesalon Carolinensis Brison: av. p.386
t 32. fig 1. It lives in America.
The head of the female is ringed with 7 black spots.
The small Carolina Hawk.
These Birds were sent from Carolina. if
the same species with those described by
Linaeus the difference of Colour may have
been occasion by Age.
but the spots on the Breast & thighs agree
so to the European Aesalon that I make no
doubt but that Brisonius gave the name
of his bird from the similitude of [the] stripes
or spots.
Alternative identifier(s)
Volume number
Birds Volume 4, Painting 22