McGill Library
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Ocelot
Ocelot
Leopardus pardalis
Item
1 watercolour painting ; 56 x 39 cm + 1 leaf
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.
Drawing of an Ocelot from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Central America and South America.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Ocelot (Felis pardalis)
Manuscript note on back of drawing: Pardalus Catus Pardus major mexicanus
Scientific name: Leopardus pardalis
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Ferae Felis
Pardalis
Felis cauda elongata corpore maculis
superioribus virgatis inferiori-
-bus orbiculatis Linei. 62. n. ed. S.N.
cato-Pardus mexicanus Hern mex 512
Catus Pardus seu Catus Americanorus Rei
Quadr. 169.
Habitat in America.
viso cane arbores adscendit; simias
eludit.
Magnitudo Melis, vide Discriptio in
LSN p.62 edit nov.
The Leopard cat or
American Cat.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Mammalia Ferae Felis
Pardalis
Felis with an elongated tail, striped patches on
the upperparts of the body, and
circular patches on the underparts. Linei. 62. n. ed. S.N.
cato-Pardus mexicanus Hern mex 512
Catus Pardus seu Catus Americanorus Rei
Quadr. 169.
It lives in America.
When it sees a dog it climbs trees; it eludes apes.
It is the size of the Melis; see the description in
LSN p.62 edit nov.
The Leopard cat or
American Cat.