McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Northern Hare
Mountain Hare
Lepus timidus
Cha. Collins Fect. April 1743
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 Mountain Hair from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Europe and Asia].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Northern Hare (Lepus alpinus) Cha. Collins Fect. April 1743;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: Lepus 1, timidus cauda abbreviata auribus apice nigris (Hyemalis) The White Hare from Norway
Scientific name: Lepus timidus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Glires Lepus.
Lepus Dentes Primores II:
superiores duplicati.
interiobus [interioribus] minoribus.
Timidus
Lepus cauda abreviata [abbreviata], auriculis
apice nigris.
Lepus Gesn: quad 69 Aldrov. dig 247
Johns. quad t 65. Raii quad 104.
Habitat in Europa
The White Hare from Norway
Mammalia Glires Lepus
Lepus Candidus
Lepus Caudicatus plane candidus
Vol 6. N 4
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Glires Lepus
Lepus There are 2 incisors:
the upper ones are doubled;
the inner ones are smaller.
Timidus
Lepus with a shortened tail,
and black-tipped ears.
Lepus Gesn: quad 69 Aldrov. dig 247
Johns. quad t 65. Raii quad 104.
It lives in Europe.
The White Hare from Norway
Mammalia Glires Lepus
Lepus Candidus
Lepus Caudicatus plane candidus [Lepus with a flat white tail]
Vol 6. N 4