Object Status:
Extant
Accession Date:
By 5 December 1797
Primary Source Reference:
Charles Willson Peale, letter to Thomas Hall of Moorfields, London, dated 5 December 1797; Selected Papers, 2, part 1: 207.
Additional Source Text:
Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827) sent a "Joe Wink—[Cock]" to Thomas Hall in London, in 1797, in exchange for European specimens (Miller 1988: 207, Selected Papers, Vol. 2, part 1, Yale University Press).
Peale wrote, in his 33rd Lecture (ca. 1799): "No. 1476. Towhee Bunting. head and upper parts of the body black, spots of white on the wings. Underneath the breast is white and on each side dull red. Emberiza erythrophthalma Linn. Le Pinson noir aux yeux rouges Buff. No. 1477. Female, is a rusty brown, otherwise marked like the male. These birds are common in most of the states of America. they are seldom seen except in prs. In Pennsylvania often called the ground Robbin. generally found amongst low bushes. their note tolerable, seldom seen in cage, though they can be easily kept. These have red Eyes, and white lines on the outer sides of their tails, a mark not noticed by several Authors." (Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40)
Peale wrote, in "A Walk Through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805–1806): "The Towhee Bunting (E. Erythrophthalma) commonly found in low bushes inf Pennsylvania. called the Ground Robbin. they have white lines on the outer tail feathers, a mark not noticed by several Authors." (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481)
Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) described an adult male under the name "Towhe Bunting / Emberiza erythropthalma" in American Ornithology vol. 2 (Pl. 10), where "Peale's Museum No. 5970" was cited (Wilson 1810: 35). / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175511#page/41/mode/1up (text) / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175511#page/8/mode/1up (plate)
Wilson described an adult female was depicted in American Ornithology vol. 6 (Pl. 53), where the same number ("Peale's Museum, No. 5970") was cited (Wilson 1812: 90). / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175484#page/118/mode/1up (text) / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175484#page/109/mode/1up (plate)
An unmounted specimen of "Emberiza erythrophthalma (Towhee B)" was listed in "A Catalogue of Duplicate Specimens...", May 1822. [unpublished] American Philosophical Society Library (Mss.B.P31).
Specimen Type:
Dead/preserved
Current Common Name:
Eastern Towhee
Current Scientific Name
Passerellidae | Pipilo erythropthalmus
