Printed on the plate
“Black-throated Guillemot, Nobbed-billed Auk, Curled-crested Auk, Horned-billed Guillemot”
Black-throated Guillemot, 1. Adult. 2. Young. | Nobbed-billed Auk, 3. | Curled-Crested Auk, 4. | Horned-billed Guillemot, 5.
Modern identification
Figure 1. Adult.
Printed “Black-throated Guillemot”
Synthliboramphus antiquus
- Certain
- Auks, Murres, and Puffins · Alcidae
Why
Audubon's “Black-throated Guillemot” (Mergulus antiquus, fig. 1, the adult) is today's Ancient Murrelet, drawn from a Zoological Society of London skin; his “young” (fig. 2) is a different bird, a Kittlitz's Murrelet
Sources
engraved legend; Audubon, Ornithological Biography v (1839); Baird, Brewer & Ridgway, Water Birds of North America ii (1884); New-York Historical Society; Boston Public Library (Digital Commonwealth)
Figure 2. Young.
Printed “Black-throated Guillemot”
Brachyramphus brevirostris
- Judged
- Auks, Murres, and Puffins · Alcidae
Why
Audubon's young “Black-throated Guillemot” (fig. 2), drawn from a Zoological Society of London skin, is a Kittlitz's Murrelet in breeding plumage: golden-buff barred with dusky all over, with a short black bill, dusky feet and, in his text, a white-tipped tail. Baird, Brewer and Ridgway make it Kittlitz's, and audubon.org lists the species on this plate
Sources
engraved legend; Audubon, Ornithological Biography v (1839); Baird, Brewer & Ridgway, Water Birds of North America ii (1884); audubon.org; the plate
Figure 3.
Printed “Nobbed-billed Auk”
Aethia pusilla
- Certain
- Auks, Murres, and Puffins · Alcidae
Why
Audubon's “Nobbed-billed Auk” (Phaleris nodirostra, fig. 3) is today's Least Auklet
Sources
Featherframe havell.yaml; plate title from audubon.org; New-York Historical Society; Wikimedia Commons; Boston Public Library (Digital Commonwealth)
Figure 4.
Printed “Curled-crested Auk”
Aethia cristatella
- Certain
- Auks, Murres, and Puffins · Alcidae
Why
Audubon's “Curled-crested Auk” (Phaleris superciliata, fig. 4) is today's Crested Auklet
Sources
Featherframe havell.yaml; plate title from audubon.org; New-York Historical Society; Wikimedia Commons; Boston Public Library (Digital Commonwealth)
Figure 5.
Printed “Horned-billed Guillemot”
Cerorhinca monocerata
- Certain
- Auks, Murres, and Puffins · Alcidae
Why
Audubon's “Horned-billed Guillemot” (Ceratorrhina occidentalis, fig. 5) is today's Rhinoceros Auklet
Sources
Featherframe havell.yaml; plate title from audubon.org; New-York Historical Society; Wikimedia Commons; Boston Public Library (Digital Commonwealth)
Who made the plate
Drawn from Nature by J. J. Audubon, F. R. S. F. L. S.Engraved, Printed and Coloured by Robt. Havell. 1838.
- John James Audubon drew
- Robert Havell Jr. engraved, printed and coloured
As the credit line gives it. More on who made these plates.
