McGill Library
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Stone-Curlew
Eurasian Thick-knee, Stone Curlew
Burhinus oedicnemus
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 Eurasian Thick-knee--also known as a Stone Curlew--from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, East Africa, West Africa, Central Asia, and India. Attributed to Collins, Charles].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Stone-Curlew (Burhinus Adicnemus)
Manuscript note on back of drawing: The Stone Curlew Oedicnemus of Bellonius W. p. 306
Scientific name: Burhinus oedicnemus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Oedicnemus
Charadrius, griseus, remigibus
primoribus duabus nigris, medio
albis, rostro acuto, pedibus cinereis.
Habitat in Anglia. LSN. p. 151.
The Stone Curlew.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Oedicnemus
Charadrius, it is grey, with two black primary wing feathers
that are white in the middle,
a pointed beak, and ash-coloured feet.
It lives in England. LSN. p. 151.
The Stone Curlew