Object Status:
Extant
Accession Date:
By 1799
Primary Source Reference:
Charles Willson Peale, Lecture on Natural History 20. (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 20th Lecture (ca. 1799): "401. Collared Creeper. length about 4 ½ Inches; Bill ¾ of an Inch long; the head, neck and back a glossy deep green; the breast a beautifull Ruby Red; this colour is separated from the green on the neck by a violet band; the Belly is grey with greenish tinge; the upper coverts of the tail fine violet; quills of the wings & tail dark brown. There is some bright yellow on the sides joining the Red. Brisson says this is a mark of the female. Certhia chalybea Linn. Grimpereau du Cap de bonne Esperance Buff. pl. enl. 246, f. 3. not exact. Collared Creeper Latham p. 709. No. 10." (Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40)
Peale continued: "Buffon mentions one seen at the Cape of good-hope by M. le Vicente de Querobënt, which had the throat grey brown, mixed with green and Blue; on the breast was a band of a fire-colour. the head and upper parts of the body mixed with green on the back, and towards the tail blue; wings light brown above; beneath gilded yellow; tail feathers blackish; Bill and legs black. This is a pretty good description of this bird, the red band being something like fire. The throat of this differs, being a fine green Age most probably makes the difference." (ANSP Archives, coll. 40)
Peale wrote, in "A Walk Through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805–1806): "In these before us are an infinite variety of plumage… the amethist or saphire is strikingly represented; the [...] greatest [...] equaled in the Collared Creeper (C. Chalybea) of Africa." (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481)
Specimen Type:
Dead/preserved
Current Common Name:
Southern Double-collared Sunbird
Current Scientific Name
Nectariniidae | Cinnyris chalybeus
