The Grey Fox Squirrel (Sciurus cinereus)

Catesby combined intaglio processes—etching and engraving—to produce fine line work, then added hand‑coloured washes of grey, yellow and green. The use of laid paper gives the surface a textured, ribbed appearance, while the careful shading conveys the animal’s fur and the delicate details of the surrounding vegetation.

The print formed part of Catesby’s monumental series *Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands*, issued in installments between 1729 and 1747. The publication contained 220 plates illustrating the flora and fauna of the American South, and this squirrel image was among the mammalian subjects presented to European audiences.

Produced during a period of expanding transatlantic scientific exchange, the work reflects the collaboration between field observation in the colonies and the European market for natural history illustrations. Catesby’s plates were among the earliest printed depictions of North American wildlife, influencing later naturalists and artists.