Printed on the plate
“Dusky Albatros”
Modern identification
Phoebetria palpebrata
- Judged
- Albatrosses · Diomedeidae
Why
Audubon's “Dusky Albatros” (Diomedea fusca) is a Light-mantled Albatross: he describes Townsend's skin with a greyish-black head and wings but a light brownish-grey neck, back, rump and underparts, a white eye-ring broken in front, and a long wedge-shaped tail, and Pitt and NYHS agree. The plate's uniform brown is the colourist's, and the 'mouth of the Columbia' locality is doubtful
Sources
Audubon, Ornithological Biography v (1839); University of Pittsburgh; New-York Historical Society; the plate
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.
