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Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Least curlew
General material designation
Parallel title
Eskimo Curlew
Other title information
Numenius borealis
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Caption title.
- Parallel titles and other title information: Title from Mousley: Phoepus minor
Level of description
Item
Repository
Reference code
CA RBD MSG BW002-766
Edition area
Edition statement
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Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
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Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
Physical description area
Physical description
1 watercolour painting ; 56 x 39 cm + 1 leaf
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
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Archival description area
Name of creator
(approximately 1720-approximately 1790)
Biographical history
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.
Custodial history
Scope and content
Drawing of a possible Eskimo Curlew from a 18th century specimen [modern geographical distribution: believed to be extinct.] Attributed to Peter Paillou.
Notes area
Physical condition
Unable to scan back of painting due to the fact that it is mounted on a board. .
Immediate source of acquisition
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Accruals
General note
Manuscript note on front of drawing: Least curlew (Phoepus minor)
General note
No text on the Verso
General note
Scientific name: Eskimo Curlew
Accompanying material
With manuscript text on accompanying leaf.
Accompanying material
Transcription of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: least Curlew
Bill is 2 1/2 upper Mandible Black under
m[an]dible partly red.
length from point of the Bill to the tail
15 inch & 1/2
The distance of the tips of the Wings when
open 25 inches. the Wings are longer then
the tail
the length of the legs from the top of ye thigh
to the end of the middle toe 6 inch 1/2
This Bird agrees in Colour with the
former except the Black dark lines, drawn from
the bill over the Eyes are wanting
& the Body of this is much less.
I know not whether this difers in sex
only or is a Diferent species.
Vol. 13 Page 46
Aves Grallae
Scolopax
Numenius minor
Phaeopus Minor.
Phaeopus S. rostro arcuato, pedibus Nigriscentibus
Teme femoribus semi nudis.
Novae. Superiore parte superiore corpore fusco.
marginibus plumarum palidis & in dorso & superiore
parte alarum seratis. parte inferiore palida
maculis tenuissimas fuscis notata.
habitat in Terra Nova.
The Small New foundland Curlew.
Its Bill hooked in length 3 inch & 1/2
the feet dark colloured allmost Black
the thighs are half naked as in most birds of this species
The length of the body from the Extremity of
from ye point of the Bill to the Tail is sixteen inches
The extent of the Wings when open 2 foot 6 inches
length of the legs 6 inch 3 gr.
The colour of the upper part of the Body
Dark brown each feather Edged with a pale or light
brown these edges in the feathers which cover the
Back are indented like a saw. The belly White.
This Bird with many others were brought me
from the North America by my learned friend
Hodgkinson Banks Esq
Accompanying material
Translation of manuscript note on accompanying leaf: Aves Grallae
Scolopax
Numenius minor
Phaeopus Minor.
Phaeopus S. with a curved beak, black feet
Teme semi-bare thighs,
Novae. a body that is tawny on top,
with pale-edged and serrated feathers on the back and top parts of
the wings; and pale underparts marked
with very thin tawny patches.
It lives in Newfoundland.
The Small New foundland Curlew.
Its Bill hooked in length 3 inch & 1/2
the feet dark colloured allmost Black
the thighs are half naked as in most birds of this species
The length of the body from the Extremity of
from [the] point of the Bill to the Tail is sixteen inches
The extent of the Wings when open 2 foot 6 inches
length of the legs 6 inch 3 gr.
The colour of the upper part of the Body
Dark brown each feather Edged with a pale or light
brown these edges in the feathers which cover the
Back are indented like a saw. The belly White.
This Bird with many others were brought me
from the North America by my learned friend
Hodgkinson Banks Esq
Alternative identifier(s)
Volume number
Birds Volume 13, Painting 46
Standard number area
Standard number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Banks, Joseph, 1743-1820 (Collector)