The Bahama Coney (Mus Monax) Possibly 1754

Mark Catesby created this engraving of the Bahama Coney, also known as the Mus Monax, sometime between 1679 and 1749. Catesby was an English naturalist who ventured to the New World to document its flora and fauna. This image, like much of Catesby's work, exists at the intersection of natural science and colonial history. It reflects a period when European powers were keenly interested in cataloging and exploiting the resources of the Americas. The "Coney," a rodent native to the Bahamas, is presented here with a scientific detachment, yet its depiction is inherently tied to the colonial gaze. Catesby's detailed rendering gives us insight into the way nature was perceived and classified during this era. His work can be read not only as a contribution to natural history, but as a cultural artifact that reveals the complex relationship between Europe and the Americas. The image invites us to consider the stories of encounter, exchange, and exploitation embedded within it.