McGill Library
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Nicobar Pigeon
Nicobar Pigeon
Starnoenas cyanocephala
Cha. Collins Fect. April 29 1740;
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 Nicobar Pigeon from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Indonesia, the Philippines, and Oceania].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Nicobar Pigeon (Calaenas nicobarica) Cha. Collins Fect. April 29 1740;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: The Pigeon from Pegu. This Bird fr Hans Sloane kept long alive
Scientific name: Starnoenas cyanocephala
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Nicobarica
Columba cauda alba corpore nigro,
remigibus caeruleis, dorso viridi-
nitente, pennis colli elongatis.
L.N.S. [sic] p. 164
Habitat in insula Nicombar prope
Pegu indicum
The
Nicombar Pidgeon
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Nicobarica
Columba with a white tail, black body,
blue flight feathers on the wings, a bright
green back, and elongated feathers on the neck.
L.N.S. [sic] p. 164
It lives on the Nicobar island near
Indian Pegu.
The
Nicombar Pidgeon