Streaked Weaver distribution, type locality circled
Introduction
The Streaked Weaver was formally described by Thomas Horsfield, an American physician and naturalist. Horsfield lived and worked on Java Island in Indonesia from 1811-17. Horsfield began to collect plants and animals on behalf of the governor and friend Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. In 1816 Java was restored to the Dutch and Horsfield moved east to Sumatra.
In 1819 Horsfield left Sumatra due to ill health and returned to London. On returning to London, Horsfield continued to be in contact with Sir Stamford Raffles and became a keeper of the museum of the East India Company. He stayed in this position, later as a curator, until his death in 1859.
Ultimately the Museum was overwhelmed with collections, and much of the material had to be distributed to other museums, scientific societies. One specimen of the Streaked Weaver is still in the British museum at Tring, but there are probably 3 more type specimens.
The first illustration of a Streaked Weaver is a line drawing of the head and bill in Swainson 1838. The next illustration is a set of birds painted in colour by Reichenbach (1863).
Weaver Watch
