McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Red-breasted merganser [male]
Red-breasted Merganser, male
Mergus serrator
Cha. Collins Fect. Janry 1741;
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 male Red-breasted Merganser from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: North America, Europe, and Asia].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Red-breasted merganser [male] (Mergus serrator) Cha. Collins Fect. Janry 1741;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: This bird was given me by Mr. Holmes the Keeper of the Records in the Tower who said it came from Newfoundland but knew not the name.
Scientific name: Mergus serrator
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Anseres Mergus
Senator
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Anseres Mergus
Senator