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. 1770. Red sided Warbler. This has been improperly called Red-throated Warbler by Latham, and Edwards has given a very good plate of it, and he calls it Red throat Flycatcher, altho' his likeness has no more red than is seen on these birds. Wherefore I am at a loss to account for his name, the red extends from the side of the neck under the wings on each side; the throat and the whole breast is white; back striped with yellow, black & grey; quils barred with yellow; top of the head bright yellow, joined on each side with a fine line of white & a black bar beneath the Eyes. Motacilla Pensilvanica Linn. Figuer à poitrine rouge Buff. Red throated Fly-catcher Edwards Glean. t. 301." (Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40)
Peale contnued: "Mr. [William] Bartram sent Mr. [George] Edwards specimens of this bird, from which other authors most probably have taken their descriptions. They have improperly called it Pennsylvania Warbler, for in fact they stay with us a very short time in May, and pass further northward to breed. I have found very few of them in my yearly excursions in Pennsyl[vani]a to collect subjects for the Museum." (ANSP Archives, coll. 40)
In a draft copy of "A Walk Through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805-1806), Peale listed "Red-side warbler (M. penn[sylvanica)]" (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481). The page of the final draft containing this species is not located.
Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) described this species under the name "Chesnut-sided Warbler / Sylvia pennsylvanica" in American Ornithology vol. 2 (Pl. 14), where "Peale's Museum No. 7006" was cited (Wilson 1810: 99). / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175511#page/113/mode/1up (text) / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175511#page/96/mode/1up (plate)
Specimen Type:
Dead/preserved
Current Common Name:
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Current Scientific Name
Parulidae | Setophaga pensylvanica
