Object Status:
Extant
Accession Date:
By 1799
Primary Source Reference:
Charles Willson Peale, Lecture on Natural History 35. (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 35th Lecture (ca. 1799): "No. 1753. White Wagtail Warbler. The hind part of the head, and nape of the neck, are black. The forehead and round the Eyes & cheeks are white; the chin and fore part of the neck & breast, black; the upper parts of [the] back & wing coverts are cinereous; greater wing coverts and secondary quills, dusky, edged with grey; lower part of the breast, white; the middle of the tail, black and white on the outside. Motacilla alba Linn. La Lavandiere Buff. pl. enl. 652. f. 1." (Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40)
Peale continued: "No. 1754. A Variety in which the throat is white, which is often found in this species of birds. Buff. 652. f. 2. They frequent watery places, and feed on flies & other Insects; make their nest on the ground composed of dry grass &c. and lined within with hair or feathers. It is a species spread throughout the whole of the old continent, but retires to the warm climes in Winter. Latham says they are called Washer-women, or Dish washers in France & England." (ANSP Archives, coll. 40)
Peale wrote, in "A Walk Through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805–1806): "The White Wagtail (M. alba) & a variety. Latham says they are washer-women in France & England." (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481)
Notes:
The “variety” described by Peale may have been a specimen of the “white-faced” subspecies, Motacilla alba dukhuensis Sykes, 1832.
Specimen Type:
Dead/preserved
Current Common Name:
White Wagtail
Current Scientific Name
Motacillidae | Motacilla alba
