McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Ural Owl. Melanistic morph
Strix uralensis
Item
1 watercolour painting ; 56 x 39 cm
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 Ural Owl from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Europe, Russia, Northeastern China, Korea, and Japan.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Scientific name: Strix uralensis
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aluco
6 Strix capite laevi, corpore ferrugin-
eo iridibus atris remigibus primeribus [primoribus]
serratis. L.S.N. 93.
Aluco Minor Will. p. 104
Habitat in Europa
The Comon Barn Owl.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aluco
6 Strix with a smooth [earless] head, reddish-brown body, black irises, and serrated primary
wing feathers. L.S.N. 93.
Aluco Minor Will p. 104
It lives in Europe.
The Common Barn Owl.