McGill Library
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Siskin
Eurasian Siskin, male and female
Spinus spinus
Char.e Collins Fect. 1738;
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 pair of male and female Eurasian Siskin from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Northeast Asia].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Siskin (Spinus spinus) Char.e Collins Fect. 1738;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: The Siskin Spinus sive Ligurinus W. p. 261. This bird is called also the aberdivine.
Scientific name: Spinus spinus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Fringilla
25 Spinus
25 Fringilla remigibus medio luteis: primis
quatuor immaculatis, rectricibus basi
flavis apice nigris.
L.N.S. [sic] p. 181
Habitat in Europae juniperetis
The
Siskin Will. orn. p. 261
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Fringilla
25 Spinus
25 Fringilla with yellow flight feathers in the middle of the wings: four unmarked primary wing feathers, and flight feathers on the tail that are golden-yellow at the base and black at the tips.
L.N.S. [sic] p. 181
It lives in Juniper trees in Europe.
The
Siskin Will. orn. p. 261