Object Status:
Extant
Accession Date:
By 1805
Primary Source Reference:
Charles Willson Peale, "A Walk through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805-1806). Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481.
Additional Source Text:
Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827) wrote, in his 22nd Lecture (ca. 1799): "554.Hooded Merganser. with a large, upright, circular crest, beginning at the base of the bill, and ending at the hind part of the head; like a fan; white edged with black. Bill on Inch & ½ long, black, furnished with a nail at the end; Irides golden; the head, neck, back and quills black; tail dusky; the breast and belly under part of the body white, sides of the breast and lower part of the neck, undulated with black; the wing coverts are deep brown; acrss the lower ones a bar of white; and a mixture of the last on the scapulars; sides of the body fine tawny, crossed with black lines; sides of the vent the same, elegantly barred; feet black. Mergus cucullatus Linn. Hooded Merganser Latham No. 4. Pennant No. 467. L'harle huppé de Virginie Buff. pl. enl. 955 [sic, =935]. Round crested Duck Catesby pl. 94. Edw. Pl. 360." (Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40)
Peale continued: "555. Female has the head and neck dark ash colour. the crest is rust coloured. hairy looking feathers; back, wings and tail, dusky; a white line across the wings; belly under part of the body white. This elegant species inhabits North America, appears at Hudson's bay the end of May, and builds close to the lakes; the nest is composed of grass, lined with feathers from the breast. Lays from 4 to 6 Eggs. The young are yellow, and are fit to fly in July. They all depart from thence in Autumn. Appear at New York, and other parts as low as Virginia and Carolina, in November. Frequent fresh waters. Return to the North in March." (ANSP Archives, coll. 40)
Peale wrote, in "A Walk Through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805–1806): "The Smew or White-nun (M. Albellus) is hansome, but not more so than the Hooded Merganser (M. cucullatus) whose white Crest is so beautifully bordered with black. some persons have thought the other with the brown Crest is a different species, but its general appearance and their being found together induced the proprietor of the Museum to place it here as the female of the Hooded." (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481)
Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) described this species under the name "Hooded Merganser / Mergus cucullatus" in American Ornithology vol. 8, published posthumously (Pl. 69), where "Peale's Museum, No. 2930" was cited (Wilson 1814: 79). / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175758#page/97/mode/1up (text) / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175758#page/96/mode/1up (plate)
Specimen Type:
Dead/preserved
Current Common Name:
Hooded Merganser
Current Scientific Name
Anatidae | Lophodytes cucullatus
