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Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Char. Collins Fect 1739
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 an immature Tundra Peregrine Falcon from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: worldwide; the tundra subspecies nests on the North American tundra and migrates South to Southern Canada and the United States in the winter].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Char. Collins Fect 1739;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: A falcon which was given me by the Hudson bay Compay it settled on a ship of theirs 360 Leagues distant from the nearest Land which was the north of Ireland. what sort Q. For I think Wiloughby’s description very uncertain. I kept the bird some time alive.
Scientific name: Falco peregrinus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Lanarius Americanus
Falco Cera et Rostro nigrescentibus
Pedibus Glaucis Corpore subtus
maculis longitudinalibus nigris
notato dorso et alis fuscis.
Habitat in America septentrionale
apud Sinum Hudsonis
The American Lanner
from Hudsons Bay
Edw. av. t. 53.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Lanarius Americanus
Falco [The American Lanner] with a black cere and black beak,
grey feet, a body that is marked
with black elongated spots underneath,
and a tawny back and wings.
It lives in North America
at Hudson's Bay
The American Lanner
from Hudsons Bay
Edw. av. t.53.
Image
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