Object Status:
Extant
Accession Date:
By 1799
Primary Source Reference:
Charles Willson Peale, Lecture on Natural History 36. (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 36th Lecture (ca. 1799): "No. 1762. Golden Crowned Warbler. It is commonly with us called a Thrush, several authors had called it so. The crown of its head is a bright gold colour, bounded on each side by a black line; upper part of the body, wings and tail, olive brown; underside of the neck, breast and sides, white spotted with black. Motacilla aurocapilla Linn. Grivelette de St. Dominque Buff. pl. enl. 398. f. 2. No. 1763. Female, much like the male but less brilliant. They are generally found throughout the United States. It builds a nest on the ground, on the side of a bank, in the form of an oven, with leaves, lining it with dry grass, and lays 5 white Eggs, spotted with brown. It is said they migrate on the approach of Winter to the Islands, such as St. Domingo, Jamaca &c. Edwards had one given him taken at Sea, ten leagues distant from Hispaniola. (Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40)
Peale wrote, in "A Walk Through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805–1806): "Golden Crowned Warbler (M. aurocapilla) is considerably like the Little Thrush (Turdus minor) though smaller." (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481)
Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) described this species under the name "Golden-crowned Thrush / Turdus aurocapilla" in American Ornithology vol. 2 (Pl. 14), where "Peale's Museum No. 7122" was cited (Wilson 1810: 88). / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175511#page/102/mode/1up (text) / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175511#page/96/mode/1up (plate)
One mounted and two unmounted specimens of "Turdus aurocapillis (Golden Crown T)" were listed in "A Catalogue of Duplicate Specimens...", May 1822. [unpublished] American Philosophical Society Library (Mss.B.P31).
Specimen Type:
Dead/preserved
Current Common Name:
Ovenbird
Current Scientific Name
Parulidae | Seiurus aurocapilla
