McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
The Owl
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
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 Great Horned Owl from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: North America and South America.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: The Owl
Scientific name: Bubo virginianus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Strix
Rostrum aduncum (absque cera) basi
pennis settaceis tectum.
Caput grande auribus oculisque magnis.
Lingua bifida. Lin. Syst. Nat. page 92
The Owl
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Strix
The beak is hooked (all the way from the cere) and at the base
it is covered with bristle-like feathers.
The head is large with great ears and eyes.
The tongue is cleft. Lin. Syst. Nat. page 92
The Owl