Reference Request
Finding Aids to Personal Papers and Special Collections in the Smithsonian Institution Archives
Record Unit 7116
Abbot, John, 1751-1840
John Abbot Collection, undated
Collection Overview
| General Information About This Collection | |
|---|---|
| Repository: | Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu. |
| Creator: | Abbot, John, 1751-1840 |
| Title: | John Abbot Collection |
| Dates: | undated |
| Quantity: | 1 cu. ft. (2 document boxes) |
| Collection: | Record Unit 7116 |
| Language of Materials: | English |
| Summary: | This collection consists of 130 watercolor drawings of birds which probably comprise a sixth set of Abbot drawings. Presumably these drawings are of birds of Georgia. It is not known if these drawings duplicate any of the other sets known to be in existence; nor is it known how they came to be in the possession of the Smithsonian Institution. |
Historical Note
John Abbot (1751-1840?), an Englishman, migrated to America in 1773, settling in Virginia. By 1776 he had migrated to Georgia, where he spent most of the remainder of his life. An ornithologist and entomologist, Abbot is best known for his drawings of birds and insects.
There are five sets of Abbot's drawings of birds in existence. Two sets are in the United States, one at the Boston Society of Natural History and the other at the University of Georgia. Three sets are in England, at the British Museum, the Manchester Library, and the Zoological Museum at Tring (Hertfordshire). There is some confusion on this matter, but evidently all three sets are technically in the possession of the British Museum.
Introduction
This finding aid was digitized with funds generously provided by the Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.
Descriptive Entry
This collection consists of 130 water-color drawings of birds, making up a sixth set of Abbot drawings. Presumably these drawings are of birds of Georgia. It is not known if these drawings duplicate any of the other known sets, nor is it known how they came to be in the possession of the Smithsonian Institution.
Index Terms
This collection is indexed under the following access terms. These are links to collections with related topics, persons or places.
Name
- Abbot, John, 1751-1840
- Boston Society of Natural History
- University of Georgia
- British Museum
- Manchester Library
- Zoological Museum (Tring, England)
Subject
Physical Characteristics of Materials in the Collection
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7116, John Abbot Collection
Container List
Box 1
Folder 1 Carolina Vulture. Vultur Atvatus. Length - of Male, 2 feet 5 inches; of Female, 2 feet 3 inches. Head covered with short hairs.
Folder 2 Bald Eagle. Falco Leucocephalus. Length - 3 feet 3 inches. It is now a rare bird in Georgia.
Folder 3 Fish Eagle. Length - 2 feet.
Folder 4 Mississippi Kite. Falco Misisippiendis. Length - 2 feet.
Folder 5 Eagle Hawk. Length - 25 inches.
Folder 6 Red shouldered Hawk. F Liniaatus. Length - of Male, 17 1/2 inches; of Female, 21 inches.
Folder 7 Fowl Hawk. Length - 20 inches.
Folder 8 Red Brown-Shouldered Fowl Hawk. Length - 20 inches.
Folder 9 Black Cap Hawk. F. Atvicapillus. Not Common.
Folder 10 Black Cap Hawk. Female.
Folder 11 Slate Coloured Hawk, or Blue Falcon. T. Pennsylvanicus. Length - of Male, 13 1/2 inches; of Female, 16 inches.
Folder 12 Sharp-Tailed Hawk. F. Caudacuto. Length - 20 inches. The only one I have met with.
Folder 13 Sparrow Hawk. F. Sparvenias. Length - 10 inches.
Folder 14 Sparrow Hawk. Female.
Folder 15 White-Rumped Hawk. Length - 18 inches.
Folder 16 Red-Tailed Hawk. Length - 24 inches.
Folder 17 Spotted-Breasted Hawk. Length - 20 inches.
Folder 18 Little Hawk. Length - of Male, 11 1/2 inches; of Female, 12 1/2 inches.
Folder 19 Chicken Hawk. Length - 11 inches.
Folder 20 Chicken Hawk. Female. Length - 13 1/2 to 17 inches.
Folder 21 Pigeon Hawk. F. Columbarius. Length - 14 1/2 inches.
Folder 22 White-Fronted Hawk. Length - 14 inches. Young Pigeon Hawk, of the first year.
Folder 23 Virginian Eared Owl. S. Virginiana. Length - 22 inches.
Folder 24 Barred Owl. S. Nebulosa. Length - 22 1/2 inches.
Folder 25 Red Owl. S. Rubra. Length - 8 1/2 inches.
Folder 26 Screech Owl. Length - 8 1/2 inches.
Folder 27 Blue Jay. Coroas Cristates. Length - 10 1/2 inches.
Folder 28 Tyrant Shrike. Lanius Tyrannus. Length - 8 inches.
Folder 29 Loggerhead Shrike. Lanius Carolinenis. Length - 8 1/2 inches.
Folder 30 Red winged Oriole. Oriolus Phaniceus. Length - 8 1/2 inches.
Folder 31 Orchard Oriole. O. Castanus. Length - 6 1/2 inches.
Folder 32 Orchard Oriole. Female.
Folder 33 Baltimore Oriole. Length - 7 1/2 inches. The only one I have met with in Georgia.
Folder 34 Red Tanager. Tanager Rubra. Length - 7 inches. A rare bird of Passage.
Folder 35 White billed Woodpecker. Picus Principalis. Length - 20 inches.
Folder 36 Pileated Woodpecker. P. Pileatus. Length - 17 inches.
Folder 37 Gold winged Woodpecker. P. Auratus. Length - 12 inches.
Folder 38 Carolina Woodpecker. P. Carolinas. Length - 9 1/2 inches.
Folder 39 Red-Headed Woodpecker. P. Erythrocephalus. Length - 9 1/2 inches.
Folder 40 Yellow-Billed Woodpecker. P. Naruis. Length - 8 inches.
Folder 41 Cockaded Woodpecker. P. Luerulus. Length - 8 1/2 inches.
Folder 42 Little Woodpecker. P. Pubescens. Length - 6 1/4 inches.
Folder 43 Brown-Headed Oriole.
Folder 44 Boat tailed Grakle. Gracula Barita. Length - 13 inches.
Folder 45 Grea Meadow Lark. Alauda Magna. Length - 9 1/2 inches.
Folder 46 Brown Lark. Length - 6 1/2 inches.
Folder 47 Carolina Cuckoo. Cuculus Americanus. Length - 12 inches.
Folder 48 Cardinal Grosbeak. Loxia Cardinalis. Length - 9 inches.
Folder 49 Red Grosbeak. L. Rubra. Length - 6 1/2 inches.
Folder 50 Red Grosbeak. Female.
Folder 51 Blue Grosbeak. L. Carulea. Length - 6 1/2 inches.
Folder 52 American Crossbill. Curvirostra Americana. Length - 5 3/4 inches.
Folder 53 Rice Bunting. Emberiza Oryzivora. Length - 6 1/4 inches.
Folder 54 Towhe Bunting. E. Erythropthalma. Length - 8 1/2 inches.
Folder 55 Indigo Bunting. E. Cyanea. Length - 5 inches.
Folder 56 Painted Bunting. E. Ciris. Length - 5 1/2 inches.
Folder 57 Bay-Winged Bunting.
Folder 58 Flax Bunting. Length - 4 1/2 inches.
Folder 59 Flax Bunting. Female.
Folder 60 Carolina Chatterer. Ampelis Garrulus. Length - 7 inches.
Folder 61 Passenger Pigeon. Columba Migratoria. Length - 16 inches.
Folder 62 Carolina Pigeon. C. Carolinensis. Length - 12 1/2 inches.
Folder 63 Ground Pigeon. C. Passerina. Length - 7 inches.
Folder 64 Purple Swallow. Hirundo Purpurea. Length - 7 3/4 inches.
Folder 65 Great Thursh. Turdus Magna. Length - 7 1/2 inches.
Folder 66 Mimic Thrush. T. Polyglottus. Length - 9 1/2 inches.
Folder 67 Ferruginous Thrush. T. Rufus. Length - 11 inches.
Folder 68 Red-Breasted Thrush. T Migratorius. Length - 10 inches.
Folder 69 Little Thrush. T. Melodes. Length - 7 inches.
Folder 70 Crested Flycatcher. Muscicapa Crinita. Length - 9 1/2 inches.
Box 2
Folder 1 Cat Flycatcher. M. Carolinensis. Length - 8 inches.
Folder 2 Solitary Flycatcher. M. Solitaria. Length - 5 1/2 inches.
Folder 3 Green Flycatcher. M. Luerula. Length - 5 1/4 inches.
Folder 4 Yellow-Breasted Flycatcher. Length - 5 1/2 inches.
Folder 5 Pewit Flycatcher. M. Nunciola. Length - 7 inches.
Folder 6 Green Parrot or Parokeet.
Folder 7 Fox-Coloured Finch. Fringilla Rufa. Length - 7 inches.
Folder 8 White-Throated Finch. F. Pensylvanica. Length - 6 1/2 inches.
Folder 9 Yellow-Winged Finch. F. Passerina. Length - 5 inches.
Folder 10 Sharp-Tailed Finch. F. Caudacuta. Length - 4 3/4 inches.
Folder 11 Little Finch. Length - 5 1/2 inches.
Folder 12 Blue Warbler. Sylvia Sialis. Length - 7 inches.
Folder 13 Hooded Warbler. S. Milrata. Length - 5 1/2 inches.
Folder 14 Yellow-Rump Warbler. S. Coronata. Length - 6 inches.
Folder 15 Yellow-Throated Warbler. S. Flavicollis. Length - 5 1/4 inches.
Folder 16 Yellow-Breasted Warbler. S. Trichas. Length - 5 1/2 inches.
Folder 17 Yellow Poll Warbler. S. Pennsylvanica. Length - 5 1/4 inches.
Folder 18 Magnolia Warbler. S. Magnolia. Length - 5 inches.
Folder 19 Yellow Warbler. Length - 5 3/4 inches.
Folder 20 Blue-Eyed Warbler. S. Citrinella. Length - 4 3/4 inches.
Folder 21 Black-Crowned Warbler. Length - 5 1/4 inches.
Folder 22 Black-Throated Warbler. S. Canadensis. Length - 5 1/4 inches.
Folder 23 Prairie Warbler S. Minuta. Length - 4 1/4 inches.
Folder 24 Worm-Eating Warbler. S. Nermivora. Length - 5 1/4 inches.
Folder 25 Georgia Wren. Very Rare.
Folder 26 Marsh Wren. Certhia Palustris. Length - 4 inches.
Folder 27 Ruby-Crowned Wren. Sylvia Calendula. Length - 4 1/2 inches.
Folder 28 Golden-Crowned Wren. Motacilla Regulus. Length - 4 inches.
Folder 29 Red-Throated Hummingbird. Trochilus Colubris. Length - of Male, 3 1/4 inches; of Female, 3 3/4 inches.
Folder 30 Toupet Titmouse. Parus Bicolor. Length - 6 1/4 inches.
Folder 31 Black-Headed Nuthatch. Sitta Corolinensis. Length - 5 1/4 inches.
Folder 32 Least Nuthatch. S. Pusilla. Length - 4 1/4 inches.
Folder 33 Small Blue-Grey Flycatcher. Muscicupa Caeralea. Length - 4 1/2 inches.
Folder 34 Virginian Rail. Rallus Virginianus. Length - 13 inches.
Folder 35 Soree. Length - 8 1/2 inches. Breeds in the rice fields about Savannah
Folder 36 Purple Gallinule. Fulica Porphyrio. Length - 12 inches.
Folder 37 Brown Gallinule. Length - 12 inches.
Folder 38 Noisy Plover. Charadrius Voceferus. Length - 10 inches.
Folder 39 Red-Breasted Godwit. Length - 13 inches.
Folder 40 American Snipe.
Folder 41 Golden-Legged Sandpiper. Length - 12 inches.
Folder 42 Black-Rumped Sandpiper. Length - 11 1/2 inches.
Folder 43 Wood Ibis. Tantalus Loculator. Length - 3 feet.
Folder 44 White Ibis. T. Albus. Length - 25 inches.
Folder 45 Brown Ibis. T. Fuscus. Length - 2 feet.
Folder 46 Spotted Ibis. As I have not met with but one of this bird, I don't know it is an Ibis. Length - 25 1/2 inches.
Folder 47 Bittern. Length - 27 inches.
Folder 48 Great Whooping Crane.
Folder 49 Whooping Crane. Ardea Americana. Length - 4 feet 6 inches.
Folder 50 Great Heron. A. Herodias. Length - 4 feet.
Folder 51 Blue Heron. A. Carulea. Length - 23 1/2 inches.
Folder 52 Green Heron. A. Nirescens. Length - 18 1/2 inches.
Folder 53 Spotted Heron. Length - 23 1/2 inches.
Folder 54 Little Heron. Length - 11 inches.
Folder 55 Loone. Length - 34 inches.
Folder 56 Black-Bellied darter. Anhinga Malanogastor. Length - 3 feet.
Folder 57 Summer Duck. Anas Sponsa. Length - 17 inches.
Folder 58 American Teal. A. Curolinensis. Length - 14 inches.
Folder 59 Spirit Duck.
Folder 60 Crested Merganser. Mergus Cucullatus. Length - 18 inches.
- Finding Aid encoded on: 3-15-2022
- Contact us at osiaref@si.edu