Credit: © The Royal Society
Image number: RS.9986
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‘The Red-breasted Humming Bird, the Green-throated Humming Bird, and the Dormouse’
Date
1755
Creator
George Edwards (1694 - 1773, British) , Ornithologist
Object type
Library reference
38029
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (print): 288mm
width (print): 220mm
width (print): 220mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Zoological studies of two unidentified types of hummingbirds from Surinam, South America, posed on branches: with a dormouse eating a nut.
Plate 266 from chapter 54 of Gleanings of natural history, exhibiting figures of quadrupeds, birds, insects, plants, &c..., by George Edwards, volume 2 (London, for the author, 1760). The author describes the two South American birds and the accompanying mammal within the text: “The Dormouse is figured at the bottom of the plate...it is toothed like a Squirrel, of which genus I take it to be a species. It is common in England, and is found in woods and hedgerows where nuts abound, on which it principally feeds. It sleeps for several months in winter. They are kept tame with us by many people in little hutches with wire cages adjoining them...The two Birds above described were brought from Surinam, dried, and are now the property of Mr. Millan, who obliged me with the use of them, in order to make drawings ... “
The plate is inscribed: “Published according to Act of Parliament January the first AD 1755. George Edwards delin:et Sculp:”
Plate 266 from chapter 54 of Gleanings of natural history, exhibiting figures of quadrupeds, birds, insects, plants, &c..., by George Edwards, volume 2 (London, for the author, 1760). The author describes the two South American birds and the accompanying mammal within the text: “The Dormouse is figured at the bottom of the plate...it is toothed like a Squirrel, of which genus I take it to be a species. It is common in England, and is found in woods and hedgerows where nuts abound, on which it principally feeds. It sleeps for several months in winter. They are kept tame with us by many people in little hutches with wire cages adjoining them...The two Birds above described were brought from Surinam, dried, and are now the property of Mr. Millan, who obliged me with the use of them, in order to make drawings ... “
The plate is inscribed: “Published according to Act of Parliament January the first AD 1755. George Edwards delin:et Sculp:”
Associated place