McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
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H3A 0C9
Velvet-Scoter [male]
White-winged Scoter, male
Melanitta deglandi
Cha. Collins Fect. April 7 1740;
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 male White-winged Scoter from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: Canada; Breeding occurs in Mid-West Canada].
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Velvet-Scoter [male] (Aedemia fusca) Cha. Collins Fect. April 7 1740;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: Aldrovandus Black Duck W. 363
Scientific name: Melanitta deglandi
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: fusca
Anas nigricans, macula pone oculos
lineaque alarum albis.
Anas Niger. Will. orn.
Linn. S. N. 123. 5
The Velvet Duck.
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: fusca
Anas nigricans [The black...] with a white patch behind the eyes,
and a white line on the wings.
Anas Niger. Will. orn.
Linn. S. N. 123. 5
The Velvet Duck.