American Wigeon (mounted taxidermy)

Object Status:

Extant

Primary Source Reference:

Charles Willson Peale, Lecture on Natural History 22. (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 22nd Lecture (ca. 1799): "520. American Widgeon commonly called the Bald-pate; Bill small of […] green & black at the point; fore head white; front of the neck & sides grey spotted with black; top & back part of the head, green black & white spotted; breast & shoulders reddish barred with grey; back, wing coverts & rump, russed barred with grey & black; wings brown, with a large bar of white & a narrow one of green beneath; tail dark edged with white, under parts of body white. 521. Female. no white in the face. breast & back dark brown edged with russet; sides wholly russet; belly under part of the body white; tail brown edged with russet & white. common in the Markets." (Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40)

An undated scrap of paper tucked into Peale's 21st lecture manuscript contains a scribbled list of duck specimens, including: "American Baldpate different from the European, i.e., the Widgeon" (ANSP Archives, coll. 40).

Peale wrote, in "A Walk Through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805–1806): "The … common wigeon (a. Penelope) came from Sweden, they differ from the … American Wigeon called the bald pate." (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481)

Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) described this species under the name "American Widgeon / Anas americana" in American Ornithology vol. 8, published posthumously (Pl. 69), where "Peale's Museum, No. 2798" was cited (Wilson 1814: 86). / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175758#page/104/mode/1up (text) / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175758#page/96/mode/1up (plate)

Notes:

A letter from Rev. Nicholas Collin (1746-1831) to Charles W. Peale, dated 2 June 1793, confirms that “Mr. Gustavus Von Carlson (President of one of the supreme courts of Justice) has charged himself with the exchange of Birds. This eminent ornithologist owns a precious Cabinet of Birds, containing more than 800 species; & has by testamentary disposition generously bequeathed the whole to the said [Swedish] Academy of Sciences. You will therefore be pleased to send in future the birds directly to him. He has already in return, forwarded several of the most valuable Swedish Birds…” (Miller 1988: 49, Selected Papers, Vol. 2, part 1, Yale University Press).

Specimen Type:

Dead/preserved

Current Common Name:

American Wigeon

Current Scientific Name

Anatidae | Mareca americana