Psarocolius auricollis Wied

LeCroy, Mary, 2013, Type Specimens Of Birds In The American Museum Of Natural History Part 11. Passeriformes: Parulidae, Drepanididae, Vireonidae, Icteridae, Fringillinae, Carduelinae, Estrildidae, And Viduinae, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2013 (381), pp. 1-155 : 51-52

Psarocolius auricollis Wied

Psarocolius auricollis Wied, 1839: 367 (Fort Pierre, South Dakota).

Now Icterus bullockii (Swainson, 1827) . See Hellmayr, 1937: 104–105; Blake, 1968: 161; Dickinson, 2003: 771; and Fraga, 2011: 763– 764.

TYPE: AMNH 2230. Information regarding this specimen is here summarized, but no decision on its type status could be reached.

In the mid-19th century, D.G. Elliot owned one of the most complete collections of species of birds from North America. In 1868, when Elliott was planning a lengthy but indefinite stay in Europe, he became concerned for the safety of his collection while he was away and offered it to the then-forming AMNH. The approximately 1100 specimens were purchased as the first collection for the new museum. His specimens were mounted for exhibit by John G. Bell, a New York taxidermist, and were put on display in the Arsenal in Central Park, headquarters for the new museum until a permanent home could be provided (Anon., 1915: 133). At the same time, Elliot was authorized to purchase in Europe for the new museum several collections of specimens of birds and mammals. His selections included a large number of Maximilian, Prince of Wied, specimens from Brazil. These were mounted specimens also intended for display. It was not until 1883 that the AMNH bird catalog was begun with, at that time, separate volumes for mounted specimens and study skins. The Elliot and Wied collections, along with several other collections of mounted birds were combined and arranged systematically before they were entered in the catalog.

AMNH 2230 was originally entered in the catalog as a male from the upper Missouri River from the Elliot Collection. In addition to his collections in Brazil, Wied led an expedition to the upper Missouri River in 1832–1834. It is entirely possible that Elliot had this specimen, which appears to be a Wied specimen, in his North American collection and had purchased it long before he purchased the Wied South American specimens for AMNH. Later, someone has overwritten ‘‘Elliot Collection’’ with ‘‘Maximilian Coll.’’ On the type label is a note ‘‘See mounted catalogue for note by J.T.Z.’’ Zimmer, opp. #2230, noted ‘‘ Type of Psarocolius auricollis Wied ?’’

There is no longer an original label on the specimen, only an exhibit label, which is printed as being from the Elliot Collection. The locality on these exhibit labels is usually printed, but in this case, a strip of paper has been glued over the printed locality and ‘‘western North America’’ added in pen. It probably originally said ‘‘Upper Missouri’’ as in the catalog.

Apparently, this specimen had been chosen, and the catalog so stamped, to be sent on exchange to Queens College in August 1953. It was probably investigated by Zimmer at that time and found to be a possible type. Hellmayr (1937: 104) had noted that the type was in AMNH. The catalog was then marked ‘‘Dismounted for Study Collection’’ and a ‘‘ type?’’ label added by Zimmer.

Hellmayr (1937: 104) gave the type locality as Fort Pierre, South Dakota, and Wied (1839: 367) described P. auricollis in Chapter 11, ‘‘Reise von Catonment Leavenworth bis zu den Punca-Indianern, vom 22. April bis zum 12. Mai.’’ The above specimen may well be one of the specimens collected by Wied at that time, but because of lack of definite information on its provenance, it seems impossible to be sure of its status.