Credit: © The Royal Society
Image number: RS.9989
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‘The Little Brown Bittern’
Date
1756
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
Ornithological studies of a Bittern from Aleppo, North Africa, possibly the Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus. Edwards’ drawing is shown with another, copied from a print by Dr Thomas Shaw (1694-1751).
Plate 275 from chapter 65 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 bird within the text: “The larger Bird figured in the plate is drawn less than life, the bird being about the size of a Lapwing of Plover...This Bird was brought from Aleppo by Dr Russel, who gave me liberty to make a drawing of it. Dr Shaw in his Travels in Barbary and the Levant, pa.255, has described ‘a little Bittern...’ See the small figure in the plate, which is from Dr. Shaw’s print, and coloured from his description...Taylor White, Esq; shewed me the drawing of a Bird agreeing very nearly with what Dr. Shaw has figured and described, having the top of the head black; which Bird, I think he told me, was shot in Wales.”
The plate is inscribed: “The Little Bittern from Aleppo. G. Edwards Delin et Sculp: AD 1756.”
Plate 275 from chapter 65 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 bird within the text: “The larger Bird figured in the plate is drawn less than life, the bird being about the size of a Lapwing of Plover...This Bird was brought from Aleppo by Dr Russel, who gave me liberty to make a drawing of it. Dr Shaw in his Travels in Barbary and the Levant, pa.255, has described ‘a little Bittern...’ See the small figure in the plate, which is from Dr. Shaw’s print, and coloured from his description...Taylor White, Esq; shewed me the drawing of a Bird agreeing very nearly with what Dr. Shaw has figured and described, having the top of the head black; which Bird, I think he told me, was shot in Wales.”
The plate is inscribed: “The Little Bittern from Aleppo. G. Edwards Delin et Sculp: AD 1756.”
Associated place