Falco carolinensis J. F. Gmelin, 1788

Schmitt, Stéphane & Gouraud, Christophe, 2024, The significance of Buffon and Guéneau de Montbeillard’s Histoire naturelle des oiseaux ([1765] - 1783) in the taxonomy of birds: General presentation and correspondence between Buffon’s “ eagles ” and the species acknowledged by Linnaeus (1758, 1766), Brisson (1759 - 1762), and Gmelin (1788 - 1789), Zoosystema 46 (16), pp. 361-409 : 400-401

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.5252/zoosystema2024v46a16
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1B22F210-FDA8-4F91-BFEE-10A8823E2A5D
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12667098
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/122887C5-FFF0-FFE8-FC34-FBC4FECEF97E
treatment provided by	Plazi (2024-07-04 09:05:40, last updated 2024-07-10 15:21:10)
scientific name	Falco carolinensis J. F. Gmelin, 1788
status

Treatment

18. Buffon’s “Pêcheur” (full species or variety)

18.1. Linnaeus (1758): not considered.

18.2. Brisson (1759a): corresponds to two full species (18.2.1 and 18.2.2).

18.2.1. Brisson (1759a: 361-362, 1763a: 105): “ FAUCON PESCHEUR DES ANTILLES ”, “ FALCO PISCATOR ANTILLARUM ”, species 14 of genus VIII (“Épervier”, “ Accipiter ”), order III, section 1.

OBSERVATION. — No direct observation. Description borrowed from Du Tertre.

REFERENCES. — Du Tertre (1667: 253), “Pêcheur”; maybe direct observation; Ray (1713: 19 no. 2), based on Du Tertre.

DISTRIBUTION. — Antilles.

MODERN IDENTIFICATION. — The only first-hand source is Du Tertre’s very vague description. The characters (bird of prey that eats fish, whose feathers are white on the abdomen and black on the top of the head) and the distribution (Lesser Antilles) may correspond to * Pandion haliaetus carolinensis (J. F. Gmelin, 1788) or * Pandion haliaetus ridgwayi Maynard, 1887 ; the former being present in the Antilles in winter, the latter all year round.

18.2.2. Brisson (1759a: 362-363, 1763a: 105): “ FAUCON PESCHEUR DE LA CAROLINE ”, “ FALCO PISCATOR CAROLINIENSIS ”, species 15 of genus VIII (“Épervier”, “ Accipiter ”), order III, section 1.

OBSERVATION. — No direct observation. Description borrowed from Catesby.

REFERENCES. — Catesby (1731: 2, pl. 2), “ Accipiter Piscatorius ”, “Fishing Hawk”, “Faucon pecheur”; Klein (1750: 52 no. 19), “ Falco Piscator Cyanopus ”, based on Catesby.

DISTRIBUTION / HABITAT.— “Mouth of rivers, little bays of the sea” (of Carolina).

MODERN IDENTIFICATION. — * Pandion haliaetus carolinensis (J. F. Gmelin, 1788) , according to Catesby’s plate and description. See Reveal (2015).

18.3. Linnaeus (1766): not considered.

18.4. Buffon in Buffon & Guéneau de Montbeillard (1771a: 142-144), quarto edition; (1771b: 111-112), folio edition: “ PÊCHEUR ”. Buffon thinks that Du Tertre’s “Pêcheur” and Catesby’s “Faucon pecheur” are in all likelihood (“très vraisemblablement”) the same species, and probably the same species as the European Balbuzard (see above).

OBSERVATION. — No direct observation. Description borrowed from Du Tertre and Catesby.

REFERENCES. — Du Tertre (1667: 253); Catesby (1731: 2, pl. 2).

DISTRIBUTION. — Antilles, Carolina.

MODERN IDENTIFICATION. — See the comments on Brisson; it is * Pandion haliaetus carolinensis (J. F. Gmelin, 1788) in Catesby, probably * Pandion haliaetus carolinensis (J. F. Gmelin, 1788) or * Pandion haliaetus ridgwayi Maynard, 1887 , in Du Tertre.

18.5. Gmelin (1788: 263): Variety γ “ carolinensis ” of “ Falco Haliaëtos ” G42, S26 (see above, 9.5), order “ Accipitres ”. REFERENCES. — Brisson (1763a: 105 no. 14 and 15); Ray (1713: 19 no. 2), based on Du Tertre; Buffon & Guéneau de Montbeillard (1771a: 142); Catesby (1731: 2, pl. 2).

REMARK. — Latham’s “ Carolina Osprey ”, a variety of the “Osprey” (1781: 46 no. 26A), is based on the same sources as Brisson’s “Faucon pescheur des Antilles” and “Faucon pescheur de la Caroline” (i.e., on Du Tertre and Catesby), as well as on a specimen of the Leverian collection.

MODERN IDENTIFICATION. — See the comment on Brisson; it is * Pandion haliaetus carolinensis (J. F. Gmelin, 1788) in Catesby, probably * Pandion haliaetus carolinensis (J. F. Gmelin, 1788) or * Pandion haliaetus ridgwayi Maynard, 1887 in Du Tertre; Gmelin mostly relies on Catesby’s description.

MODERN NOMENCLATURE. — Falco carolinensis J. F. Gmelin, 1788 , is considered an available and valid name since it respects the articles 10.2 and 45.6.4 of the Code on infraspecific names published before 1961; it is the protonym of the name currently in use for the subspecies.

References

BRISSON M. J. 1759 a. - Ornithologie ou Methode contenant la division des oiseaux en ordres, sections, genres, especes & leurs varietes. Vol. 1. Bauche, Paris, xxiv- 526 - lxxiii p. https: // www. biodiversitylibrary. org / page / 36010374

BRISSON M. J. 1763 a. - Ornithologia, sive synopsis methodica sistens avium divisionem in ordines, sectiones, genera, species, ipsarumque varietates. Tomus I. T. Haak, Leiden, xxii- 500 p. https: // www. biodiversitylibrary. org / page / 40577620

BUFFON G. - L. LECLERC COMTE DE & GUENEAU DE MONTBEILLARD P. 1771 a [ 1770 ]. - Histoire naturelle des oiseaux. Tome premier. Imprimerie royale, Paris, xxiv- 496 p. [quarto edition]

CATESBY M. 1731. - The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands: Containing the Figures of Birds, Beasts, Fishes, Serpents, Insects, and Plants: Particularly, the Forest-Trees, Shrubs, and Other Plants, not Hitherto Described, or Very Incorrectly Figured by Authors, Grain, Pulse, Roots, & c. Vol. 1 W. Innys & R. Mansby, London, xliv- 100 p. https: // www. biodiversitylibrary. org / page / 40753113

DU TERTRE J. B. 1667. - Histoire generale des Antilles habitees par les Francois. Tome II contenant l'histoire naturelle. Thomas Jolly, Paris, 539 p. https: // gallica. bnf. fr / ark: / 12148 / bpt 6 k 114021 k / f 2. item

GMELIN J. F. 1788. - Systema naturae, per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, Species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Pars I. Editio decima tertia, aucta, reformata. Beer, Leipzig, 1 - 500. https: // www. biodiversitylibrary. org / page / 2896589

KLEIN J. T. 1750. - Historiae avium prodromus cum praefatione de ordine animalium in genere. Accessit historia muris alpini et vetus vocabularium animalium. J. Schmidt, Lubeck, 238 p. https: // gallica. bnf. fr / ark: / 12148 / bpt 6 k 99284 d. image #

LINNAEUS C. VON. 1758. - Systema naturae, per Regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. L. Salvi, Stockholm, 824 p. https: // www. biodiversitylibrary. org / bibliography / 542

LINNAEUS C. VON. 1766. - Systema naturae, per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Pars I. Editio duodecima, Reformata. L. Salvi, Stockholm, 532 p. https: // www. biodiversitylibrary. org / page / 42946197

RAY J. 1713. - Synopsis methodica avium & piscium. Opus posthumum, quod vivus recensuit & perfecit ipse insignissimus Author; in quo multas species, in ipsius ornithologia & ichthyologia desideratas, adjecit. London, W. Innys: 1 - 198, 1 - 166. https: // www. biodiversitylibrary. org / bibliography / 62790

REVEAL J. L. 2015. - Identification of the plants and animals illustrated by Mark Catesby for The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahamas Islands, in NELSON E. C. & ELLIOTT. D. J. (eds.), The Curious Mister Catesby. A Truly Ingenious Naturalist Explores New Worlds. The Univ. of Georgia Press, Athen & London: 331 - 350.