Object Status:
Extant
Accession Date:
By 1793
Primary Source Reference:
Charles Willson Peale, letter to Thomas Hall of Moorfields, London, dated 1793; Selected Papers, 2, part 1: 46.
Additional Source Text:
Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827) sent a "Green-winged Teal" to Thomas Hall in London, in early 1793, in exchange for European specimens (Miller 1988: 46, Selected Papers, Vol. 2, part 1, Yale University Press).
In his 22nd Lecture, Peale wrote: "524. Green Winged teal. head and upper part of the neck of a fine deep bay; from each eye to the hind part of the head is a broad bar of rich changeable green; wants the white line, which the European kind has above each eye, having only one below; lower part of the neck and breast durty white, beautifully spotted with black; upper parts of the back marked with waved lines of black & white; lower part brown; speculum green; feet dusky. Anas Carolinensis Linn. American Teal, Pennant No. 504." (Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40)
Peale continued: "525. Female. Plumage of a Brownish ash, tinged with russit and spotted with black; wings resemble those of the male. I have choosen to name this different from Mr. Pennant because we have an other Teal, which for distinction I will call the blue winged teal." (ANSP Archives, coll. 40)
An undated scrap of paper tucked into Peale's 21st lecture manuscript contains a scribbled list of duck specimens, including: "Green W Teal (carolinensis)." (ANSP Archives, coll. 40)
Peale wrote, in "A Walk Through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805–1806): "We have two species of teal; the Greenwing teal (a. carolinensis) and the blue Winged teal (a. Discors)." (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481)
Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) described this species under the name "Green-winged Teal / Anas crecca" in American Ornithology vol. 8, published posthumously (Pl. 70), where "Peale's Museum, No. 2832" was cited (Wilson 1814: 101). / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175758#page/121/mode/1up (text) / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175758#page/112/mode/1up (plate)
Specimen Type:
Dead/preserved
Current Common Name:
Green-winged Teal
Current Scientific Name
Anatidae | Anas carolinensis
