Object Status:
Extant
Accession Date:
By 1805
Primary Source Reference:
Charles Willson Peale, Lecture on Natural History 32. (ca. 1799). Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40. / https://ansp.org/research/library/archives/0000-0099/coll0040/
Additional Source Text:
Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827) wrote, in his 32nd Lecture (ca. 1799): "No. 1403. Blue Grossbeak. It has a narrow black line round the base of its bill; general colour a deep blue; the wings marked with transverse bars of red; primaries & tail brown. The female is a dark brown with a small mixture of blue. Loxia caerulea Linn. Bec-rond ou Bouvreuil Buff. Blue Grossbeak Caty. No. 39. They are found in Virginia in May and June, perhaps they do not come so far northward as Pennsylvania. It is said that it has only a single note." (Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40)
Peale wrote, in "A Walk Through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805–1806): "The blue Gross beak (L. Caerulea) found in the southern States, seldom come to the north of Virginia." (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481)
Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) described this species under the name "Blue Grosbeak / Loxia caerulea" in American Ornithology vol. 3 (Pl. 24), where "Peale's Museum, No. 5826" was cited (Wilson 1811: 78). / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175516#page/94/mode/1up (text) / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175516#page/83/mode/1up (plate)
Specimen Type:
Dead/preserved
Current Common Name:
Blue Grosbeak
Current Scientific Name
Cardinalidae | Passerina caerulea
