Object Status:
Extant
Accession Date:
By 1799
Primary Source Reference:
Charles Willson Peale, Lecture on Natural History 33. (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 33rd Lecture (ca. 1799): "No. 1530. Paradise Tanager. this beautiful bird is the size of the last mentioned (i.e., Burnished-Buff Tanager, Stilpnia cayana). about 6 Inches long. The upper part & sides of the head yellowish green; the feathers small and distinct from each other; the hind part of the head and neck, upper part of the back and scapulars, of a velvety black; the lower part of the back bright fire colour, verging to orange towards the tail; the throat and fore part of the nec glossy violet blue; the breast & under parts sea green; the lesser wing coverts green gold; the middle ones blue; the great violet blue; quils black with blue margins. Tanagra tatao Linn. Tanagra. Buff. pl. enl. 7. f. i. this tail is false, being copied from a patch bird." (Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40)
Peale continued: "This most beautiful species is pretty common about the inhabited parts of Guiana. It appears in large flocks in the neighbourhood of Cayenne first about September, and frequents a particular tree, which is just then in flower; and as soon as the fruit sets, begins its depredations thereon; it generally stays 6 weeks, and then passes else where, but returns again in April and May, at which time the fruit riped; it is about this tree alone that it is found, for it does not frequent others. These birds may be keept in a cage; will feed on bread and meal; are said to have no song, but only a short & shrill note." (ANSP Archives, coll. 40)
Peale wrote, in "A Walk Through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805–1806): "The Paradise Tanager (Tanagra Tatao) is the most brilliant; it shines Green, Blue, Red, yellow and black. belongs to S. America."(Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481)
Notes:
In 1793, Raphaelle Peale (1774-1825) travelled to Cayenne, French Guiana, to collect specimens for Peale's Museum. However, to the editor's (MRH) knowledge, there is no detailed inventory of the specimens he brought back, and there are many examples of specimens from northern South America that were donated by other people. For more discussion about Raphaelle's travels, see Lillian B. Miller, 1993, "Father and Son: The Relationship of Charles Willson Peale and Raphaelle Peale", The American Art Journal 25: 4-161. / https://doi.org/10.2307/1594599
Specimen Type:
Dead/preserved
Current Common Name:
Paradise Tanager
Current Scientific Name
Thraupidae | Tangara chilensis
