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White Wagtail.
White Wagtail (Pied Wagtail)
Motacilla alba (yarrellii)
Char. Collins Fect. 1738;
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 White Wagtais--also known as a Pied Wagtails--from 18th century specimens [modern geographical distribution: Europe, Asia, West Africa, and the Horn of Africa].
Significant foxing.
Manuscript note on front of drawing: White Wagtail. (Motacilla alba) Char. Collins Fect. 1738;
Manuscript note on back of drawing: The White water wagtail Motacilla alba W. 237
Scientific name: Motacilla alba (yarrellii)
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Mottacilla
Alba.
11 Mottacilla pectore nigro; rectricibus
duabus lateralibus dinidiato [dimidiato] et
oblique albis.
Mottacilla. Will. p.237
The
White Wagtail
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Passeres Mottacilla
Alba.
11 Mottacilla with a black breast; two flight feathers on the
sides of the tail that are half white at an angle.
Mottacilla. Will. p.237
The
White Wagtail