McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Tree Sparrow
Eurasian Tree Sparrow, male
Passer montanus
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 male Eurasian Tree Sparrow from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Europe, Asia, Oceania, Australia, the Northeastern United States, and Eastern Canada.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Manuscript note on back of drawing: The Mountain Sparrow W. 252; 2. If this is not the same as the small bird akin to the sparrow described W. 250
Scientific name: Passer montanus
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Fringilla
37 Montana
Fringilla remigibus rectricibus
q[ue] fuscis, corpore griseo nigroq[ue]
alarum fascia alba gemina.
L.S.N. p. 183.
Passer montanus. Will.
Habitat in Europa
The Mountain Sparrow.
This Bird is common in the North of
England
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Fringilla
37 Montana
Fringilla with tawny flight feathers on the wings and tail,
a grey and black body,
and twin white bands on the wings.
L.S.N. p. 183.
Passer montanus. Will.
It lives in Europe.
The Mountain Sparrow.
This Bird is common in the North of
England