Object Status:
Extant
Accession Date:
By 1799
Primary Source Reference:
Charles Willson Peale, Lecture on Natural History 18. (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 18th Lecture (ca. 1799): "Many Cuckoos are yet wanting to the Museum. However, I shall conclude my description of them with a precious specimen. A Bird that the Hottentots absolutely Idolize, as it directs them to where to find Honey. ? see Sparman [1785–86] for the honey bird. It is called the [No.] 270 Gilded Cuckow. Length 7 Inches. Bill of a greenish Brown colour; the upper parts, from head to tail, are of a rich, gilded, glossy green; on the head are five stripes of white; one on the middle of the forehead; two others above the eyes, in shape of eye-brows; passing behind; and two more, narrower & much shorter, beneath the Eyes; most of the wing coverts, and the 2 quills are tipped with white; as are the tail feathers, and the outermost quill, marked with small spots of white on the outer edge; throat and under parts white; the sides and feathers wjhich fall over the knees, marked with a few greenish bars; feet grey; shins covered as far as the middle with white feathers; the length of the tail is more than 3 Inches, cuneated, and, in its natural state, spread like a fan; it is an Inch and quarter longer than the wings; and seems longer in proportion, in this bird, than in most of the other species [of Cuckoos, according to the Linnaean classification]. It inhabits the cape of good hope." (Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40)
Peale continued: "[This specimen] belonged to [François] Valliant [1753–1824] who procured it in the Interior parts of Africa and sold it in Paris for 3 Luisdors. Cuculus auratus Linn. Coucou verd du cap de bonne Esperance Buff. pl. enl. 657. Gilded Cuckoo, Latham. I find the passage in Valliant's travels [in margin: Vall: "Travels p. 110"]: "The cuckoos in every climate, never lays but in the nests of other birds, which by these means, she loads with the burden of hatching her young; The touraco, (he calls it) more affectionate and more careful of its family, constructs its own nest, where it lays its Eggs and atches them itself." The character, besides, the authorities quoted, justify my giving it Place here, contrary to Valliant's opinion." (ANSP Archives, coll. 40)
Peale wrote, in "A Walk Through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805–1806): "The Gilded Cuckow (C. Auratus) said to have been preserved by Valliant in the interior of Africa; he called it, the Touraco. It directs the Hottentots where to get Honey wherefore they Idolize it." (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481)
Notes:
François Levaillant (1753-1824) was a French explorer and ornithologist, who traveled extensively in Africa in the late 18th century and sold many specimens to the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (known simply as the "Paris Museum" to Peale). / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Levaillant Palisot de Beauvois (1752-1820), the French naturalist, approached Peale about a specimen exchange in October 1794, to which Peale replied: “You desire to know if I would be willing to exchange Birds and other subjects of natural history to supply the public museum at Paris [i.e., Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, known to Peale as the "Paris Museum"]—My first Object is to furnish my [own] Museum with all the Various Animals in the several classes and other objects of Natural History belonging to America, and secondly, while I am engaged in this labour, to prepare duplicates with the view of exchanging them for the subjects of the other quarters of the Globe—by which means I hope to inrich my Museum in a mode which I conceive will be most agreable to the Amateurs of this delightful Science on the other side of the Water, who may be desirous of possessing those of America—I mean by a reciprocal exchange of Subject for subject.” (Miller 1988, Selected Papers, Vol. 2, part 1, Yale University Press) / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_Natural_History,_France For more discussion about Beauvois’s time in Philadelphia, and how he helped Peale catalogue the taxidermy collection, see Matthew R. Halley, 2022, “Rediscovery of the holotype of the American Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis atricapillus (Wilson, 1812), and a commentary about Alexander Wilson’s contributions to the Peale Museum. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 167: 233–240. / https://doi.org/10.1635/053.167.0114 The specimen exchange with the Paris Museum eventually came to pass in the late 1790s, as Peale corresponded with Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1772-1844). On April 30, 1797, in a letter accompanying two cases of specimens, Peale wrote: “I have many Birds which is not described in Catesby, and several, which are not to be found in any of the authors on Natural History duplicates of which I will send you, with all such articles as you may want, and in my power to procure ... I have imbraced [sic] the first coming of the birds this season, and daily with one of my Sons hunt & preserve all we can. We have already mounted a tolerable number of the small birds in a handsome condition—and by constantly shooting ourselves, we are able to gain a knowledge of their manners.” (Miller 1988: 198–199) Peale wrote to Pierre-Auguste Adet (1763-1834) on 31 May 1798: “with my Son Titian I continue my hunting excursions to collect & preserve Subjects with equal diligence … this year add so many new subjects yet we have got some that are nondescripts—and that while I am increasing my store we find by practice proved—I am anxious to hear from Mr. Geoffroy whether he wishes Birds mounted in the manner of those I have sent or whether he would prefer them without being fixed with wires and mounted on Sticks.” (Miller 1988: 215). Peale wrote to Geoffrey on 13 July 1802: “Sir, Your favor of the 26 Feby and the Package of Birds I have received—they were in very good condition one or two only excepted.” (Miller 1988: 440)
Specimen Type:
Dead/preserved
Current Common Name:
Greater Honeyguide
Current Scientific Name
Indicatoridae | Indicator indicator
