McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Red Bishop Bird
Northern Red Bishop
Euplectes franciscanus
P. Paillou 1755;
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 a pair of Northern Red Bishops from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: West Africa, East Africa, and Southern California].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Red Bishop Bird (Pyromelana oryx) P. Paillou 1755;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: grenidiero from anglu Africa
Scientific name: Euplectes franciscanus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Emberiza
Orix
7 Emberiza grisca [grisea], fronte abdomineque
nigris, collo uropygioque [uropigioque] fulvis rostro
nigro. L.N.S. [sic] p. 177
Habitat in Africa interiore.
The
Angola Sparrow Edw. 170
This Bird should be also painted
in the Colour before its Change
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Emberiza
Orix
7 Emberiza grisca [grisea] [The grey...] with a black forehead and abdomen, reddish-yellow neck and rump, and
black beak. L.N.S. [sic] p. 177
It lives in the African interior.
The
Angola Sparrow Edw. 170
This Bird should be also painted
in the Colour before its Change