McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Stonechat
European Stonechat, male and female
Saxicola rubicola
Cha. 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 a pair of male and female European Stonechats from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: Europe and North Africa and well as from Africa and Asia sporadically].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Stonechat (Saxicola torquata hibernans) Cha. Collins Fect. 1739;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: The Stone-smitch, stonechatter or Moor titling. Oenanthus nostra tertia W. 235, muscicapa tertia aldrov. The Rubetra of Bellonius. Todenvogel or Flugenstecherlin Gesner
Scientific name: Saxicola rubicola
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Rubetra
18 M. nigricans, superciliis albis,
macula alarum alba, gula pectoreque
flavescente.
Linn. S. N. 186. 18
The Stone-Chat
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Rubetra
18 M. nigricans [The black...] with white eyebrow stripes,
a white patch on the wings, and a golden-yellow throat
and breast.
Linn. S. N. 186. 18
The Stone-Chat.