Acer palmatum, although there are more than 100 species of maple worldwide, only one species (Acer campestre) is native to the UK.

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Natural history

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"Bird and Flower of Port Jackson"
Artist: Raper, George
Created: [1789]
Dimensions: 48.2 x 32.3 cm
Reference: Raper Drawing - no. 38

 
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  • George Raper]
  • The drawing is inscribed in black ink at bottom "BIRD, & FLOWER of PORT-JACKSON - former 1/4 Less Natural Size - GEO: RapeR.# 1789 ~".
  • The drawing is signed "GEO: RapeR"and dated 1789.
  • The drawing is inscribed in pencil at bottom left with the number "38", at bottom right "37" and on the reverse "40".
  • The bird was identified by Hindwood (1964) as the Channel-billed Cuckoo, Scythrops novaehollandiae.
  • John Calaby notes the similarity of the bird and plant in this drawing to two separate drawings in the sketchbook by John Hunter in the National Library of Australia, Canberra. He identifies the plant as the Broom bossiaea Bossiaea scolopendria. (Calaby, John (ed). The Hunter Sketchbook. Melbourne, National Library of Australia, 1989 p. 114 and 132.)
  • The author of this catalogue record is Suzanne Stenning.
  • By permission of the trustees of the Natural History Museum (London).
  • Two sets of transparencies held in the Natural History Museum (London) Zoology Library and Picture Library: Picture Library order number 15138
  • Miss Eva Godman donated 1962
  • Data sheet available.
  • Hindwood, K.A. 'George Raper: an Artist of the First Fleet', Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Australian Historical Society, Vol. 50, Pt. 1, 1964 pp.32-57.