Credit: © The Royal Society
Image number: RS.9983
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‘The Yellow Water-wagtail, the Walking Leaf, &c.’
Date
1756
Creator
George Edwards (1694 - 1773, British) , Ornithologist
Object type
Library reference
38029
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (print): 286mm
width (print): 220mm
width (print): 220mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Study of the Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava in the act of catching an insect. The bird is posed standing upon a stone from Giant’s Causeway, County Antrim, Ireland. Below are two studies of a ‘Walking Leaf’ insect, perhaps a variety of Phyllium, which the author believes was from the West Indies.
Plate 258 from chapter 48 of Gleanings of natural history, exhibiting figures of quadrupeds, birds, insects, plants, &c..., by George Edwards, volume 1 (London, for the author, 1758). The author describes his subjects within the text: “The bird and insect on this plate are drawn of the size of nature: the stone, which is designed only as a decoration, is a great deal under its natural size...The bird is supposed to be a cock...not, to my knowledge..figured till now, though it be a bird common in England and all Europe over...This insect, called the Walking-Leaf, is said to be from the Spanish West Indies..these are drawn after nature from the insects themselves, now preserved in the British Museum, at London...”
The plate is inscribed: “The yellow Water-Wagtail. A Stone from the Giants Causeway. The upper and under side’s of an Insect called the Walking Leaf, the bird and insect were Drawn from nature of the size of life by Geo Edwards. AD 1756.”
Plate 258 from chapter 48 of Gleanings of natural history, exhibiting figures of quadrupeds, birds, insects, plants, &c..., by George Edwards, volume 1 (London, for the author, 1758). The author describes his subjects within the text: “The bird and insect on this plate are drawn of the size of nature: the stone, which is designed only as a decoration, is a great deal under its natural size...The bird is supposed to be a cock...not, to my knowledge..figured till now, though it be a bird common in England and all Europe over...This insect, called the Walking-Leaf, is said to be from the Spanish West Indies..these are drawn after nature from the insects themselves, now preserved in the British Museum, at London...”
The plate is inscribed: “The yellow Water-Wagtail. A Stone from the Giants Causeway. The upper and under side’s of an Insect called the Walking Leaf, the bird and insect were Drawn from nature of the size of life by Geo Edwards. AD 1756.”
Associated place