PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 122(1):117–129. 2009. The Stephen H. Long Expedition (1819–1820), Titian R. Peale’s field illustrations, and the lost holotypes of the North American shrews Sorex brevicaudus Say and Sorex parvus Say (Mammalia: Soricidae) from the Museum

Neal Woodman U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013-7012, U.S.A., e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract.—While encamped for the winter of 1819–1820 at along the River in present-day eastern , members of Major ’s Expedition to the collected a number of animals that were previously unknown. Among the mammals were two soricids that were subsequently described by as Sorex brevicaudus (Northern Short-tailed Shrew, Blarina brevicauda)andSorex parvus (Least Shrew, Cryptotis parvus). The holotypes of these species were deposited and placed on public exhibit in the Philadelphia Museum, the predominant North American systematic collection of the early nineteenth century. Like most private museums of that era, the Philadelphia Museum eventually went out of business, and its collections were dispersed and, for the most part, lost. Fortunately, Titian R. Peale made a detailed field sketch of the two specimens soon after their capture and subsequently executed a watercolor based on that sketch. In addition, an engraving of the holotypes was published in the decade following the discovery of the two species. Illustrations of holotypes are taxonomically useful when they depict diagnostic characters of species. They take on added taxonomic significance in the absence of the holotypes. In the cases of Sorex brevicaudus and Sorex parvus, pictures provide strong confirmation of the taxonomic identities of these two species, as well as recording the early history of the specimens.

The Northern Short-tailed Shrew, Blar- of these species in the published literature ina brevicauda, and the Least Shrew, (e.g., Merriam 1895), and it is generally Cryptotis parvus (for this unfortunate assumed that these specimens have been name combination see ICZN 2006), are lost or destroyed—an assumption well- common small mammals in parts of the founded in light of the subsequent history eastern and central . Both of the collections made during the expe- species were described by the naturalist dition. There is remaining evidence, how- Thomas Say (in James 1822) based on ever, of what the holotypes looked like. single specimens that were collected dur- Archived in the Library of the American ing Major Stephen Harriman Long’s Philosophical Society (APS), Philadel- Expedition to the Rocky Mountains. phia, is a watercolor painted by Titian Since their original descriptions, there Ramsey Peale, who was officially at- has been little reference to the holotypes tached to Long’s Expedition as Assistant 118 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON

Naturalist. This painting was first pub- of an effort to establish a series of lished as a color plate in Benson (1988) American military posts along the na- under the descriptive title, ‘‘mole and tion’s northwestern frontier. This military vole.’’ The subjects of the illustration are presence was determined necessary by the immediately recognizable, however, as United States government in order to two species of shrews, suggesting that check British influence in the region, they are likely representations of the establish diplomatic ties with the Native holotypes of B. brevicauda and C. parvus. American tribes there, and provide a Subsequent investigation revealed an un- secure foundation for the continued published sketch of the same animals in growth of the American fur trade. The the APS bearing a handwritten date and original goal of the Missouri Expedition locality that confirms this identification. was to establish a permanent fort either at A few years after the expedition returned, the mouth of the or at John Godman (1826–1828) published a the Mandan Villages in present-day new engraving of the holotypes as they . The slow progress of the appeared on exhibit in the Philadelphia expedition, resulting from problems with Museum. the government contractor responsible While the aesthetic and historical value for transporting the troops and provi- of illustrations of animals from Long’s sions, fueled political wrangling between Expedition has been discussed (Haltman the House of Representatives and the 1989, 2008), their taxonomic relevance Senate in Washington, D.C. The extended has not. The objectives of this paper are debate prevented the appropriation of to provide the historical background on sufficient funds to support the military the discovery and description of B. mission after the second year, and the brevicauda and C. parvus; to trace the scope of the expedition was greatly available history of the former collections reduced. Instead, a post was established of the Philadelphia Museum through the at Cantonment Missouri on the west holotypes of these two species; to draw bank of the in present- attention to the existence of the illustra- day eastern Nebraska, where the military tions of these holotypes; and to show that force over-wintered in 1819–1820 (Chit- these illustrations provide valuable con- tenden 1902, Godwin 1917, Wesley 1931). firmation that the scientific names for A small party of topographers and these two shrews are applied today as naturalists attached to the Missouri Ex- they were when the two species were pedition and under the leadership of originally described. Major Stephen Harriman Long of the Army Engineers encamped a short dis- Long’s Expedition to the tance downriver at Engineer Cantonment Rocky Mountains from 19 September 1819, until 6 June 1820. This latter team included Thomas The operation that led to Long’s Say as the expedition’s zoologist and Expedition began as a much larger Titian Ramsey Peale as Assistant Natu- undertaking involving thousands of men ralist. The scientific party was authorized with goals that were more military than by Secretary of War John C. Calhoun to scientific in scope. In 1818–1819, the document the natural resources, physical Missouri Expedition (also known as the geography, and Native American tribes of —see Wesley the upper Missouri River region. When 1931) of the U.S. Army slowly worked funding for the Missouri Expedition was its way down the Ohio and up the cut, the charge of the scientific survey Mississippi and Missouri rivers as part changed as well. Their new goal, which VOLUME 122, NUMBER 1 119 resulted in what commonly became discovered in the vicinity of Engineer known as Long’s Expedition to the Cantonment. A large body of work, Rocky Mountains, was to explore the however, did not make it into the Account to its source in the Rocky and was never published in its original Mountains, work south to the headwaters context. This includes the majority of the of the Arkansas and Red Rivers, and then illustrations produced by the two trained explore those rivers to their confluence artists associated with the expedition, with the . Although Titian R. Peale and Samuel Seymour. In great discoveries were expected as the addition to sketches and paintings re- party set out for the Rocky Mountains, cording landscapes, events, and meetings the funding cuts by Congress left the with Native Americans, Peale in particu- expedition ill-supplied for its long trek, lar recorded in graphic detail many of the and ultimately they did not achieve many specimens of animals and plants obtained of their primary exploratory goals (Ever- by the expedition. Many of these speci- ett 1823, Chittendon 1902). Moreover, mens did not survive the journey, and much of the collected scientific data was some became the basis for the description lost when three enlisted men deserted near of new species. Although some of these the end of the expedition, taking with illustrations have appeared in the litera- them the three best remaining horses and ture on American history (Benson 1988) much of the personal baggage, including or art history (Haltman 2008), few of the all of Thomas Say’s written scientific visual representations of vertebrates have observations and descriptions of animals ever been published in their original made since leaving Engineer Cantonment context as natural history illustrations (James 1822). (see Evans 1997 for some exceptions). Despite the numerous set-backs en- dured by Long’s Expedition, the scientists Two New Species of Shrews in the party made a substantial number of important biological contributions. The Among the 13 species of mammals first American printing of the official discovered by Long’s Expedition were published record of the expedition, Ac- two soricids, Sorex brevicaudus (Northern count of an Expedition from to Short-tailed Shrew, Blarina brevicauda) the Rocky Mountains (James 1822), in- and Sorex parvus (Least Shrew, Cryptotis cluded descriptions of 39 new vertebrate, parvus), that were described in the same four invertebrate, and 11 fossil species by footnote in the Account (Say in James Say and ten species of plants by Edwin 1822, 1:163–164). Both species descrip- James scattered as footnotes through the tions were based on single specimens two textual volumes of the work. Addi- obtained while the scientific expedition tional specimens brought back by the was encamped for the winter of 1819– expedition provided material for the 1820 at Engineer Cantonment, a tempo- subsequent description of 157 new rary encampment that only recently was by Say (Evans 1997) and 140 new plants precisely relocated in southeastern Wash- by James and other botanists (Goodman ington County, Nebraska (Carleson et al. & Lawson 1995, Evans 1997). The 2004, Genoways & Ratcliffe 2008). James scientific team also completed what (1822, 1:163–164) wrote that the two Genoways & Ratcliffe (2008) contend shrews were ‘‘taken near our cabins.’’ was the first published biodiversity survey Regarding the Sorex parvus, Say (in in North America, providing a compre- James 1822, 1:164) wryly added that hensive list of mammals, birds, reptiles, ‘‘Mr. Peale caught this animal in a pitfall, amphibians, insects, snails, and plants which he had dug for the purpose of 120 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON

Fig. 1. Pencil sketch of Sorex brevicaudus (upper left) and Sorex parvus (lower right) by Titian Ramsey Peale (Titian Ramsay Peale Sketches, American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, PA). catching a wolf.’’ He does not state how Long’s Expedition (Haltman 1989), in- the specimen of S. brevicaudus was cluding at least 123 depictions of animals captured, but it is likely that it was also and plants that were invoiced in the found in Peale’s wolf trap. The exact date Philadelphia Museum’s Memorandum that the specimens were obtained is not book (Philadelphia Historical Society: mentioned by James or Say. Major Peale Family. Papers, 1794–1854). Long’s party arrived at Engineer Canton- Among these works is a pencil sketch of ment on September 19th, and the group’s two small mammals, in the lower left cabins, near where the two shrews were corner of which is written ‘‘Nu 22, Oct 18th captured, were completed ‘‘early in Octo- 1819, Enginr.Cantt.’’ (Fig. 1), indicating ber,’’ prior to Long’s departure for the both by its date and the abbreviated East Coast on October 11th (James 1822, locality that it was executed during the 1:163–164). Based on the chronological expedition’s sojourn at Engineer Canton- location of the descriptions of the shrews ment. Although identified previously as a and the wolf trapping operations in the ‘‘mole and vole’’ (Benson 1988), to a Account, the specimens appear to have mammalogist the two animals in the been obtained soon afterwards in the sketch are immediately recognizable as same month. soricids based on their long, pointed In addition to being trained as a rostra; cylindrical bodies; relatively un- naturalist, was a talented specialized feet positioned under the artist like his father Charles Willson body; and small, hidden eyes. Their short Peale, his uncle James Peale, his half- tails and reduced pinnae completely brothers Raphaelle, Rembrandt, and Ru- hidden by the surrounding fur mark them bens Peale, and other members of his as members of the Blarinini, which family (Miller 1996). He produced 214 includes only the two genera Blarina and known drawings and paintings during Cryptotis. The larger body size and the VOLUME 122, NUMBER 1 121

Fig. 2. Watercolor and ink of Sorex brevicaudus (upper left) and Sorex parvus (lower right) by Titian R. Peale (Titian Ramsay Peale Sketches, American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, PA). long fore claws of the individual in the not have been completed until after Peale center of the sketch identify it as a Blarina returned to Philadelphia (Haltman 2008). brevicauda, whereas the smaller individual Both of Peale’s illustrations depict the on the lower right with relatively short two animals in life-like poses. In partic- fore claws is clearly a Cryptotis parvus. ular, their slightly elevated heads and the The date on the illustration and the fact digitigrade stance of the hind feet suggest that no other shrews were encountered by that one or both animals are likely to the expedition indicate that this is a have been observed alive. In general, picture of the holotypes of Sorex brevi- soricids are considered to be plantigrade caudus and Sorex parvus. Peale also (Vaughan et al. 2000), but they typically produced an ink and watercolor illustra- assume a more digitigrade posture of the tion of the two shrews based on his sketch hind feet when running, and they may that shows the original pelage colors of maintain this position when they pause the specimens (Fig. 2). The darker, more momentarily (Woodman & Morgan blackish-brown pelage of the larger shrew 2005). Given the difficulties in keeping and the paler, brown to grayish-olive soricids in captivity and the rapidity with coloration of the smaller shrew support which they begin to decompose after their identifications as B. brevicauda and death, the two specimens probably were C. parvus, respectively. The painting has sketched and painted soon after their the year ‘‘1819’’ written in the lower left capture, and the date on the sketch is corner. Like many of Peale’s paintings likely a close approximation of when they from Long’s Expedition, however, it may were caught (i.e., 18 October 1819). 122 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON

The discovery of two species of shrews western limits of knowledge of North at Engineer Cantonment would have been American animals at that time. Within significant to the naturalists Say and this context, Say’s (in James 1822) short Peale, because the diversity and distribu- descriptions of S. brevicaudus and S. tion of soricids in North America was parvus were adequate to differentiate the poorly known at the time. None appeared two shrews from all other known species in Forster’s (1771) catalog of North of mammals. Given the greater diversity American animals, and the French natu- of shrews recognized today, Peale’s illus- ralist Cuvier doubted the very existence of trations, while not critical, are useful for shrews in the New World (related by correctly matching the taxonomic names Bachman 1837). Just prior to the expedi- with the animals. tion, Philadelphia naturalist ’s Peale’s sketch and watercolor of the comprehensive listing of the known spe- shrews found at Engineer Cantonment cies of North American terrestrial animals probably are the first illustrations execut- appeared in the 2nd American edition of ed of Cryptotis parvus, but not of Blarina Guthrie’s Geography (Ord 1815). He brevicauda. In his description of Sorex indicated six species of ‘‘Sorex’’ for the brevicaudus, Thomas Say (in James 1822: continent, of which one was later shown 164) noted to be a Mexican geomyid, three to be talpids, and the remaining two were May not this be the animal mentioned by the late professor Barton in his Medical and Physical identified as European species of shrews, Journal, for March 1816 [sic], which, he says, which at the time were thought to ‘may be called the black shrew?’ I do not know possibly have a broader distribution that the black shrew has ever received any further (Rhoads 1894). While this diversity partly notice, unless it is the same species to which Mr. reflects the broad concept of ‘‘Sorex’’ at Ord has applied the name of Sorex niger. that time, it also indicates how poorly Benjamin S. Barton’s ‘‘black shrew’’ is species of North American wildlife were not the same species listed by Ord (1815). known. Harlan (1825) and Godman Ord’s Sorex niger is a nomen nudum that (1826–1828) provided more detailed ac- probably was applied to a talpid (see countings of North American mammals Rhoads 1894), whereas Barton almost that included species discovered by certainly was referring to a soricid. The Long’s Expedition. Harlan (1825) recog- report to which Say refers, in its entirety, nized four species of shrews, and Godman reads (Barton 1806:67): (1826–1828) recognized only three, in- cluding the newly-described S. brevicau- A new species of Sorex has been discovered in the dus and S. parvus. A decade later, the list vicinity of Philadelphia. It may be called the had grown to 13 North American species, Black Shrew, and, like some of the other species of the genus, emits an extremely fetid odour from although in his monograph on North its body. American shrews the Charleston natural historian John Bachman (1837) remarked That this might be Blarina brevicauda is the continuing difficulty in obtaining not immediately obvious from Barton’s sufficient specimens to differentiate spe- account, although his characterization of cies adequately and confirm their taxo- its odor is suggestive. Barton, however, nomic validity. In contrast, today there also produced a black and white copper- are 17 species of shrews recognized in plate engraving of a dark, short-tailed North America east of the Rocky Moun- shrew that is now preserved in the library tains and north of the Red River (Hut- of the APS (Fig. 3). It seems likely that terer 2005), physiographic features that this is his ‘‘Black Shrew,’’ which, from the marked the effective western and south- description of the color and the represen- VOLUME 122, NUMBER 1 123

Fig. 3. Engraving of a shrew by Benjamin Smith Barton (Benjamin Smith Barton Papers, American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, PA). tation of the length of the tail and relative Philadelphia Museum displayed 760 spe- size of the paws, almost certainly repre- cies of birds, as well as 190 mammals and sents Blarina brevicauda. The engraving is 4000 insects (Anonymous 1804). It re- undated, but obviously predates Barton’s ceived donations from such public figures death in December 1815 and was most as Benjamin Franklin, , likely produced about 1806 when he and George Washington, and it was a announced his discovery of this animal. major repository for specimens from the Lewis and Clark [1804–1806] and Zebu- Fates of the Holotypes lon M. Pike [1806–1807] expeditions. The Peales’ correspondents included Joseph The final disposition of the holotypes Banks, , Jean-Baptiste of Sorex brevicaudus and S. parvus Lamarck, and Etienne Geoffroy Saint- remains obscure, but some insight can Hilaire, and the Philadelphia Museum be gained by understanding the subse- exchanged specimens with institutions quent history of the collections from and collectors in England, France, Ger- Long’s Expedition. By order of the many, the Netherlands, Spain, and Swe- Secretary of War, the repository for most den. The collection eventually included of the natural history specimens collected holotypes for species described by Charles by Long’s Expedition was the Philadel- Lucien Bonaparte, John D. Godman, phia Museum. Situated in the cultural Richard Harlan, George Ord, Thomas and scientific heart of the nascent United Say, and Alexander Wilson. Later, by States during the first half of the 19th order of the Secretary of the Navy, it was century, the Philadelphia Museum acted the primary, if temporary, repository for as a de facto national repository for specimens from Captain ’ scientific specimens and historical and United States Exploring Expedition of cultural artifacts (Weiss and Zeigler 1931, 1838–1842, specimens that eventually Appel 1980). It was, however, a private helped form the nucleus of the collection family enterprise, founded in 1786 by of the Smithsonian Institution (Goode , the father of Titian 1901, Faxon 1915, Appel 1980, Sellers R. Peale, with the dual aims of financial 1980a, b; Miller 1988). At the time, in the gain and popular education in natural absence of a formal federal repository history, American history, and the arts (the short-lived National Institute for the (Appel 1980, Sellers 1980b). By 1804, the Promotion of Science was not established 124 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON until 1840, and the Smithsonian Institu- men: ‘‘Mr. G. Ord presented me with a tion was not founded until 1846), the scull [sic] of a Sorex from the neighbor- Philadelphia Museum was the obvious hood of Philadelphia, which has served choice for receiving the specimens collect- the purpose of the above details of the ed as part of Long’s Expedition. teeth’’ (Harlan 1825:30). Harlan makes Natural history specimens from Long’s no mention of seeing the specimen of Expedition arrived in Philadelphia by Sorex parvus in the Philadelphia Muse- ship via New Orleans by mid-February um. The following year, John Godman 1821 (Nichols & Halley 1980). They were published the first two volumes of his invoiced by Titian Peale on 20 March three-volume treatise, American Natural 1821, and officially entered into the History (Godman 1826–1828), which Philadelphia Museum’s Memoranda book similarly relied upon the Philadelphia on 23 March 1821, by his brother, Museum collections. Unlike Harlan’s Rubens Peale, then manager of the tome, American Natural History, included museum (Philadelphia Historical Society: illustrations of many of the mammals Peale Family. Papers, 1794–1854). The based on specimens on exhibit in the specimens of Sorex brevicaudus and Sorex museum (Sterling 1974). One engraving parvus probably were among the items in includes images of S. brevicaudus (‘‘Short the ‘‘Box of small animals’’ listed on the Tail Shrew’’) and S. parvus (‘‘Small invoice. Along with the list of specimens Shrew’’) with Scalops canadensis (‘‘Shrew is a list of ‘‘drawings,’’ including two of Mole’’ 5 Scalopus aquaticus)thatappear ‘‘Shrews’’ described as ‘‘unfinished.’’ to be mounted on a common base The two early nineteenth-century (Fig. 4). Unlike in Peale’s illustrations monographs on North American mam- (Figs. 1, 2), the two animals are shown mals (north of Mexico) were published by flat-footed (i.e., plantigrade). This illus- the Philadelphia natural historians and tration indicates that the two specimens scientific rivals Richard Harlan (1825) were extant and on exhibit in the museum and John Godman (1826–1828) shortly during this period. Unlike the standard after Long’s Expedition returned. Al- museum practices of today, it was com- though both authors relied heavily on mon practice in the early and middle Say’s original descriptions in their ac- nineteenth century for most of the natural counts of western species, sometimes history collections of an institution to be paraphrasing or even quoting Say at on display, most especially holotypes. For length, they also made extensive use of example, the bird collection of the Acad- the collections of the Philadelphia Muse- emy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia um, and they provide clear evidence that numbered ca. 31,000 specimens in Janu- the original specimens of S. brevicaudus ary 1860, of which ‘‘not less than 27,000 and S. parvus were present in the museum are displayed in the cases, to which at that time. In his account for Sorex number yearly additions are made’’ brevicaudus in the Fauna Americana, (Slack 1862:97). In this context, it would Harlan (1825:30) specifically noted ‘‘the have been remarkable if Say’s holotypes skull in the Philadelphia Museum.’’ Most had not been available for exhibit in the of his description of the species is taken Philadelphia Museum. Godman’s (1826– directly from Say (in James 1822), but he 1828) engraving also clearly shows the also provided a more in-depth character- first upper and lower incisors protruding ization of the dentition than Say. Intrigu- from the mouth of the mounted S. ingly, the particulars of the teeth were brevicaudus, which may answer the ques- based, not on Say’s type in the Philadel- tion of why Harlan (1825) did not use the phia Museum, but on a different speci- skull of the holotype in his description of VOLUME 122, NUMBER 1 125

Fig. 4. Engraving of the ‘‘Short Tail Shrew’’ (Sorex brevicaudus), ‘‘Small Shrew’’ (Sorex parvus), and ‘‘Shrew Mole’’ (Scalops canadensis) from John D. Godman’s (1826–1828) American Natural History. Drawn by Alexander Rider and engraved by G. B. Ellis (Smithsonian Institution Libraries, Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History, Washington, DC). the teeth. The skull probably was inac- sheriff’s auction in 1848. Among the cessible because it had been left in the many items in the sheriff’s sale catalogue skin, as was the standard practice when for that year is a ‘‘Case of 28 bats, rats preparing mounted specimens of quadru- and mice’’ (in Sellers 1980b:315), which peds in the Philadelphia Museum (C. W. may have included the types of S. Peale 1787, in Miller 1983; C. W. Peale brevicaudus and S. parvus, if they still 1809, in Miller 1988). existed. The Philadelphia Museum finally After this time, the histories of individ- shut down permanently in the summer of ual specimens in the Philadelphia Muse- 1849, and the remaining collections were um are difficult to trace, although what auctioned off in 1850 (Faxon 1915, Sellers happened to the body of the collection is 1980b). Barnum purchased the bulk of mostly recorded. The fates of the holo- the collection for $5000 or $6000 on types of S. brevicaudus and S. parvus— behalf of himself and his associate Moses whether they were ultimately discarded, Kimball, who ran the Boston Museum. In consumed by insects, destroyed by fire, or addition, part of the Philadelphia Muse- simply mislaid—are a mystery. As a um collection was obtained either from commercial venture, the Philadelphia the museum or from Barnum by Montro- Museum enjoyed early success and wide ville Wilson Dickeson for his City Muse- renown, but ultimately it failed (Sellers um Theatre in Philadelphia. In 1868, the 1980b). Facing low attendance, a lean City Museum Theatre burned, although economy, and strong competition from some of its collection apparently was Phineas Taylor Barnum, who leased the rescued and sold the following year. neighboring Swaim’s Museum specifically Barnum’s purchase was divided among to compete with the Peale Family enter- Kimball’s Boston Museum, Swain’s Mu- prise, the Philadelphia Museum stumbled seum, and Barnum’s American Museum financially in 1845 and just avoided a in New York City. Barnum sold his 126 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON holdings in Swaim’s Museum in 1851, species of birds may now reside at MCZ and on December 30th of that year, a fire (Faxon 1915, Poesch 1961, Spamer et al. destroyed the building and most of the 2000, Prince 2003). No other vertebrate collection (Sellers 1980b). On 13 July specimens from Long’s Expedition, how- 1865, Barnum’s American Museum and ever, are known to survive. most of the collection burned (New York Times 1865, Sellers 1980a, b). Barnum ‘‘Typical Specimens’’ established a new museum in New York City, but in 1868 that building also When Thomas Say named Sorex brevi- burned along with most of the collection caudus and Sorex parvus, he based his (New York Times 1868). The portion of descriptions on specimens that he and the Peale Collection in Boston, including Titian Peale collected on Long’s Expedi- a large number of holotypes of birds tion and that were subsequently deposited described by Alexander Wilson, fared and displayed in Peale’s Philadelphia somewhat better. Kimball’s interest in Museum. In the first half of the nine- natural history eventually declined in teenth century, natural historians were favor of more purely entertaining pur- still under the influence of the Aristote- suits, and, in 1893, a large part of his lian type-concept of the static (rather than collection was transferred to the Boston variable) biological species (Mayr 1969). Society of Natural History (BSNH). He Because species generally were considered died in 1895, and in 1899, the upper story immutable, type specimens (i.e., holo- of the Boston Museum was damaged by types, co-types, and paratypes; Thomas fire (Faxon 1915, Sellers 1980b). The 1893) bore less significance than they do remaining natural history specimens went today. It was recognized at the time that a to the BSNH and the archeological and specimen or series of specimens was ethnological collection to the Peabody necessary for recognizing, differentiating, Museum of Archeology and Ethnology and describing a new species, and authors (Sellers 1980b). Additional destruction typically would mention a particular and damage attended the collection in specimen or series (e.g., Merriam 1886) the possession of the BSNH, and the they had inspected (e.g., Say in James remaining specimens, including a number 1822) and even sometimes note specifi- of Wilson’s types, were obtained for cally the collection in which it was to be the Museum of Comparative found (e.g., Harlan 1831). Afterwards, (MCZ), Cambridge, in 1914 (Faxon however, these specimens generally were 1915, Sellers 1980b). Other known sur- not treated any differently than other viving natural history specimens from the specimens. They often lacked labels and Philadelphia Museum include four bird were readily placed on public display eggs collected by Alexander Wilson that (Godman 1826–1828, Slack 1862). At were obtained from Kimball by Thomas that time the concept of the ‘‘type M. Brewer in 1850 and transferred to specimen’’ or holotype as the single MCZ in 1880; a bird holotype at the name-bearing specimen for a nominal American Museum of Natural History, species was still in its early formative New York (previously at Vassar College, stage. Although some scientists recog- New York; Faxon 1915); and holotypes nized relatively early on the inherent of two birds and possibly a fluid-pre- value of holotypes and the need to served snake in the collection of the preserve them (Agassiz 1853, Baird Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila- 1860), the taxonomic definitions of the delphia. Of specimens from Long’s Expe- various classes of specimens considered to dition, as many as five specimens of three be ‘‘type specimens’’ or ‘‘typical speci- VOLUME 122, NUMBER 1 127 mens’’ was not yet fixed, and the terms Washington, and Kirsten van der Veen in were ofttimes applied broadly, sometimes the Dibner Library of the History of to include specimens never seen by the Science and Technology, National Muse- author of a particular species. The first um of American History, Washington, attempts to formalize the concept of the graciously provided access to the impor- type specimen were not made until the tant original works under their care. latter part of the century (Thomas 1893, Charles Greifenstein and Michael Miller, Schuchert 1897). American Philosophical Society Library, The holotypes of Blarina brevicauda Philadelphia, provided permission to re- and Cryptotis parvus have long been lost, produce Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Erin Clements but illustrations of the types survive Rushing, Smithsonian Institution Librar- (Figs. 1, 2, 4). These depictions provide ies, Washington, granted permission to valuable insight into the perceptions of reproduce Fig. 4. James P. Dean, these species by the naturalists who first NMNH; Jeremy J. Kirchman, New York observed them, and they preserve impor- State Museum, Albany; and Paul Sweet, tant external characters that are useful for American Museum of Natural History, confirming the identities of these two New York, assisted with the search for species. The illustrations of B. brevicauda the holotype of Sylvia maritima Wilson. or C. parvus do not, however, replace the Sandy Feinstein, R. Terry Chesser, Alfred holotypes, nor can illustrations be desig- L. Gardner, Robert M. Timm, and nated as name-bearing types (ICZN 1999: Howard P. Whidden provided valuable Art. 74.4). As currently understood, B. comments on previous versions of this brevicauda and C. parvus are widespread manuscript. Any use of trade, product, or and morphologically well-defined species. firm names is for descriptive purposes Neotypes (i.e., replacement type speci- only and does not imply endorsement by mens) have never been designated for the the U.S. government. two species, nor has such action been warranted, because type specimens have Literature Cited not been deemed necessary to objectively define either of these taxa (ICZN 1999: Agassiz, L. 1853. Catalog of the cabinet of natural Art. 75.1–3). In the absence of the original history of the State of New York. Albany, 1843 [sic]. 8u (review).—American Journal of specimens, the taxonomic importance of Science and Arts 16:283–284. the illustrations is that they provide an Anonymous. 1804. Account of the Philadelphia informative record of the morphological Museum.—Literary Magazine, and American characteristics of the holotypes, and Register, 2(14), Nov 1804, pp. 576–579 (APS thereby, the species as they were perceived Online). Appel, T. A. 1980. Science, popular culture and by the naturalists who originally collected, profit: Peale’s Philadelphia Museum.—Jour- preserved, and described them. Perhaps nal of the Society for the Bibliography of more important, they confirm that the Natural History 9:619–634. animals to which these names are applied Bachman, J. 1837. Some remarks on the genus today are the same as those to which they Sorex, with a monograph of the North American species.—Journal of the Academy were originally applied. of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 7: 362–403. Acknowledgments Baird, S. F. 1860. Appendix to the report of the Secretary. Pp. 55–86 in Annual Report of the Leslie Overstreet and Daria A. 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