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Weaver Wednesday [140] - Discovery [23]: Baglafecht Weaver

2015-02-17 (622)

gravit8 Weaver Wednesday (species text)

Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafecht

Baglafecht Weaver
Baglafecht Weaver,
figure from Ferret & Galinier 1848
Baglafecht Weaver
James Bruce, first mentioned
the Baglafecht Weaver,
figure from wikipedia
Baglafecht Weaver map
Baglafecht Weaver
distribution, type locality circled

Introduction

The Baglafecht Weaver was formally described by Francois Marie Daudin, a young French zoologist. For this species Daudin simply provided a scientific name for a bird described by Buffon.

The earliest reference to the Baglafecht Weaver is by Buffon in 1775, where he called it Le Baglafecht. Buffon provided a brief description of the species and noted that it came from Abyssinia (Ethiopia).

The Baglafecht Weaver was most probably noted by James Bruce, a Scottish traveller in North Africa and Ethiopia. Bruce travelled in Africa from 1768 to 1773, and later wrote some travel books. Bruce, and his assistant Luigi Balugani, painted over 300 plants, birds, and animals, but did not write much about the new fauna and flora he found. Murray, who wrote a biography on Bruce (1808), mentioned a painting of a bird called the yellow Bagla finch. Bruce met Buffon in France in 1773, and the painting by Bruce must have been the source for Buffon's description of the Baglafecht Weaver. Bruce was based mostly at Gondar, which is probably where he observed the Baglafecht Weaver.

Bruce's painting of the Baglafecht Weaver probably exists in a gallery, but it does not appear to have been published anywhere. The first published illustration of the Baglafecht Weaver appeared many decades after the bird was first described. Ferret and Galinier 1848 published several hand-coloured plates in their book on Ethiopia, including one of the Baglafecht Weaver.

Scientific citation

Loxia baglafecht Daudin 1802 In Buffon, Hist. Nat., ed. Lace'pe`de, Quad., 14, p.245 Abyssinia, ex idid., Oiseau Rev. Franc. Orn., 6, p.191.

Meaning of names

baglafecht Probably from a native Abyssinian name.

Alternate names

Elgon Weaver, Emin's Weaver, Frick's Weaver, Golden-Crowned Weaver Bird, Lado Baglafecht Weaver, Neumann's Bagafecht Weaver, Reichenow's Weaver, Stuhlmann's Weaver, Uhehe Stuhlmann's Weaver.

Collector

James Bruce.

Date collected

1768-73, when Bruce was in Ethiopia.

Locality collected

Ethiopia, probably in Gondar.

Type specimens

Type specimen not traced.

All news items relating to this species

The headers below refer to Weaver News items featuring this species. Click on a header to see the News item, which includes the full news item. (The number in brackets is the date that the news item appeared on Weaver Watch).


Weaver Wednesday [140] - Discovery [23]: Baglafecht Weaver (2015-02-17)
Baglafecht Weaver longevity (2015-02-10)
Weaver Wednesday [99]: Baglafecht Weaver (2014-05-07)
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Baglafecht Weaver plumages (2010-03-01)