Magnificent Frigatebird (mounted taxidermy)

Object Status:

Extant

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 "A Walk Through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805–1806): "The most rapid on the wing is the Frigate (P. aquilus). it flies further and stonger than any Water bird: it seems to poise itself on its wings, which are of a prodigious length, without appearing to move. It sails smoothly along the air waiting for the moment of daring upon its prey swift as an arrow: and when the weather is most tempestuous, raises itself higher than the clouds, and find a calm above the Storm. It is between the tropicks that this bird reigns master of the cormorants & boobys, and for his boldness has been termed the Man of War bird." (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481)

On 17 February 1806, "2 Frigates" donated by Capt. Farris of the ship George Washington were recorded in the Peale Museum Accessions Book, p. 12 (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481).

Notes:

It seems more likely that Peale’s specimens were of the common American species, than the endemic Ascension Frigatebird (F. aquila), which was not yet distinguished from F. magnificens. The engraving attributed to Titian R. Peale (shown here) was probably based on a specimen collected during the U.S. Exploring Expedition (1838-1842) and not a specimen from Peale's Museum.

Specimen Type:

Dead/preserved

Current Common Name:

Magnificent Frigatebird

Current Scientific Name

Fregatidae | Fregata magnificens