Object Status:
Extant
Accession Date:
By 1799
Primary Source Reference:
Charles Willson Peale, Lecture on Natural History 17. (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 17th Lecture (ca. 1799): "No. 176. Crow. It is so common a Bird, and so well known, that little is necessary to be said about it. The Black of a healthy crow, has a shining blueish cast, round tail & the quills of the wings sharp. Corvus corone Linn. Corneille Buff. pl. enl. 483. Carrion Crow Britsh Zool. It is remarkable of these Birds that they fix on places to roost togather, and regularly, a short time before sun set, collect from all quarters, making flights of a great many miles to meet at their rendevouz. I have seen them crossing the Chesepeak from the eastern shore to the western side of the Bay, where it is about 10 miles over, in a constant stream of about 100 yards wide, in a flight of two hours together; so that their numbers when all collected togather must have been prodigious. It is said that they pair for life; with what truth I cannot say; and that, when one dies the survivor continues faithful to the last, spending the remainder of his days in widowhoos. [A footnote indicates the information about pair bonding was sourced from Buffon.] Their attachment to their young is also remarkably tender. No. 177. Female of the proceeding." (Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40)
Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) described this species under the name "Crow / Corvus corone" in American Ornithology vol. 4 (Pl. 35), where "Peale's Museum, No. 1246" was cited (Wilson 1811: 79). / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175531#page/99/mode/1up (text) / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175531#page/92/mode/1up (plate)
Specimen Type:
Dead/preserved
Current Common Name:
American Crow
Current Scientific Name
Corvidae | Corvus brachyrhynchos
