Cornelius Tiebout Engravings

Part 11. American Entomology (Thomas Say)

If you have already read Part 10, then you have already seen that certain Cornelius Tiebout engravings are associated with Thomas Say (1787-1834). Before 1826, Tiebout had already engraved insect drawings by Titian Ramsey Peale II (1799-1885) for the first two volumes of Say's American Entomology, published in Philadelphia in 1824 and 1825. Under the leadership of William Maclure (1763-1840), who was president of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (now the Academy of Natural Science of Drexel University), Say joined Maclure and other Philadelphians in a move to New Harmony, Indiana, during the winter of 1825-1826. Cornelius Tiebout moved to New Harmony in October 1826; there he continued engraving copper plates for volume 3 of American Entomology. For more information and references pertaining to Say, Maclure, and the scientific community in New Harmony, see these sites at the University of Evansville (located about 26 miles from New Harmony): Thomas Say and William Maclure.

The three volumes of American Entomology are available online:

Volume 1, 1824
Volume 2, 1825
Volume 3, 1828

In their biography, Thomas Say, Early American Naturalist, Harry B. Weiss and Grace M. Ziegler describe the artists and engravers whose names appear in the plates in the three volumes:

Of the fifty-four plates of the "American Entomology", twenty-eight are by T. R. Peale, nine are by C. A. Lesueur, nine by W. W. Wood, whose identity is uncertain, and two by H. B. Bridport, an Englishman who emigrated to America in 1816 and lived in Philadelphia where he established a drawing academy and painted miniatures. Six plates are unsigned. C. Tiebout, G. Lang, and Longacre are the names signed to the plates as engravers, and Mr. C. Tiebout engraved nearly all of them.

The six unsigned plates (numbered 1, 4, 7, 10, 14, 18) had already been published in Say's preliminary edition of American Entomology, published in 1817. No artist or engraver is identified for these six plates. The 1817 book can be viewed here: Preliminary edition.

High quality images from the three volumes, 1824-1828, with names of artists or engravers removed, can be downloaded from New York Public Library and Picryl Public Domain.

Most of the names Say assigned to the insects in American Entomology are no longer accepted. It appears that tables showing current scientific and common names appear here for the first time. Initials for the artists and engravers are as follows:

HB, Hugh Bridport (1794?-1868)
GSL, George Shortread Lang (1799-1877)
CAL, Charles Alexandre Lesueur (1778-1846)
JBL, James Barton Longacre (1794-1869)
TRP, Titian Ramsey Peale (1799-1885)
CT, Cornelius Tiebout (1773?-1832)
WWW, William W. Wood (1794-1869)

Table for Volume 1, 1824

Plate	Artist	Engraver	Name in American Entomology	Current scientific name	Common name(s)
1			Papilio philenor	Battus philenor	pipevine swallowtail, blue swallowtail
2	TRP	CT	Stizus grandis	Sphecius grandis	western cicada killer
2	TRP	CT	Stizus unicinctus	Stizoides renicinctus
3	TRP	CT	Lytta nuttalli	Lytta nuttalli	Nuttall blister beetle
3	TRP	CT	Lytta albida	Epicauta albida	gray blister beetle
3	TRP	CT	Lytta maculata	Epicauta maculata	spotted blister beetle
3	TRP	CT	Lytta sphæricollis	Lytta fabricius
4	TRP	CT	Scarabæus tityus	Dynastes tityus	eastern Hercules beetle, scarab beetle
5	TRP	CT	Acrydium ornatum	Tetrix ornata	ornate pygmy grasshopper, ornate grouse locust
5	TRP	CT	Acrydium lateralis
6	TRP	CT	Laphria fulvicauda	Andrenosoma fulvicaudum	robber fly
6	TRP	CT	Laphria sericea	Laphria sericea	robber fly
6	TRP	CT	Laphria dorsata	Pogonosoma dorsatum	robber fly
7			Nemognatha immaculata		blister beetle
8	TRP	CT	Xylota quadrata	Tropidia quadrata	thickleg fly
8	TRP	CT	Xylota ejuncida	Xylota ejuncida	polished leafwalker
8	TRP	CT	Xylota proxima	Syritta pipiens	syrphid fly
8	TRP	CT	Xylota hæmatodes
9	TRP	CT	Calandra tredecim-punctata
9	TRP	CT	Calandra tredecim-punctata, variety
9	TRP	CT	Calandra quinque-punctata	Rhodobacnus quinquepunctatis
9	TRP	CT	Calandra compressirostra	Sphenophorus cultrirostris	weevil
10			Anthicus bicolor	Euconnus becolor
10			Anthicus monodon	Notoxus monodon	antlike flower beetle
11	TRP	CT	Syrphus cylindricus	Sphaerophoria contigua	tufter globetail
11	TRP	CT	Syrphus obscurus	Platycheirus obscurus	hover fly
11	TRP	CT	Syrphus obliquus
11	TRP	CT	Syrphus politus	Toxomerus politus	corn-feeding syrphid fly
12	TRP	CT	Smerinthus geminata		sphinx moth
13	TRP	CT	Leptis ornata
13	TRP	CT	Leptis albicornis
13	TRP	CT	Leptis vertebrata
13	TRP	CT	Leptis fasciata	Chrysopilus fasciatus	snipe fly
14			Berytus spinosus	Jalysus spinosus	still bug
15	TRP	CT	Pelicinus polycerator	Pelicinus polycerator	American pelecinis wasp
16	TRP	GSL	Blaps suturalis	Eleodes saturalis	darkling beetle
16	TRP	JBL	Blaps acuta	Eleodes acutapernigra	darkling beetle
16	TRP	JBL	Blaps obscura	Eleodes obscurus	darkling beetle
16	TRP	JBL	Blaps hispilabris	Eleodes hispilabus	darkling beetle
17	TRP	JBL	Argynnis diana	Argynnis diana	Diana fritillary
18			Cicindela decemnotata	Cicindela decemnotata	badlands tiger beetle
18			Cicindela formosa	Cicindela formosa	big sand tiger beetle

Table for Volume 2, 1825

Plate	Artist	Engraver	Name in American Entomology	Current scientific name	Common name(s)
19	HB	CT	Ægeria exitiosa	Synanthedon exitosa	peachtree borer
19	HB	CT	Ægeria omphale
20	TRP	CT	Cœnomyia pallida
21	CAL	CT	Lycus reticulatus	Calopteron reticulatum	banded net-winged beetle
21	CAL	CT	Lycus terminalis	Calopteron terminale	end band net-wing
21	CAL	CT	Lycus sanguinipennis	Lycostomus sanguinipennis	net-winged beetle
21	CAL	CT	Lycus perfacetus
22	WWW	CT	Ichneumon devinctor	Ichneumon devinctor
22	WWW	CT	Ichneumon unifasciatus
22	WWW	CT	Ichneumon centrato	Ichneumon centrato	parasitic wasp
22	WWW	CT	Ichneumon brevicinctor	Vulgichneumon brevicinctor
23	WWW	CT	Limenitis arthemis	Limenitis arthemis	red-spotted purple, white admiral
24	CAL	CT	Dicælus violaceus	Dicælus purpuratus	ground beetle
24	CAL	CT	Dicælus splendidus	Dicælus splendidus	ground beetle
24	CAL	CT	Dicælus dilatatus	Dicælus dilatatus	ground beetle
24	CAL	CT	Dicælus sculptilis		ground beetle
25	CAL	CT	Mantispa brunnea	Climaciella brunnea
25	CAL	CT	Mantispa interrupta	Decromantispa interrupta	mantisfly
26	CAL	CT	Buprestis rufipes	Buprestis rufipes	red-legged buprestis
26	CAL	CT	Buprestis fasciata	Buprestis fasciata	metallic wood borer
26	CAL	CT	Buprestis confluenta	Buprestis confluenta	metallic wood borer
26	CAL	CT	Buprestis campestris
27	WWW	CT	Vanessa furcillata	Aglais milbert	fire-rim tortoise shell, Milbert's tortoise shell
28	WWW	CT	Cryptocephalus ornatus
28	WWW	CT	Cryptocephalus confluentus	Cryptocephalus confluentus	leaf beetle
28	WWW	CT	Cryptocephalus bivittatus	Pachybrachis bivittatus	Say's two-striped pachy
28	WWW	CT	Cryptocephalus viduatus	Pachybrachis viduatix	case-bearing leaf beetle
28	WWW	CT	Cryptocephalus othonus	Pachybrachis othonus	case-bearing leaf beetle
29	WWW	CT	Scolia confluenta	Compsomeris plumipes/td>	scoliid wasp
29	WWW	CT	Scolia octomaculata	Colpa octomaculata	eight-spotted scoliid wasp
29	WWW	CT	Scolia tricincta
30	WWW	CT	Pieris nicippe
31	CAL	CT	Reduvius novenarius
31	CAL	CT	Reduvius crassipes
31	CAL	CT	Reduvius spissipes	Apiomerus spissipes
31	CAL	CT	Reduvius raptatorius	Sinea diadema	rapacious soldier bug
32	WWW	CT	Tremex sericeus	Tremex sericeus	pale tremex
32	WWW	CT	Tremex obsoletus	Tremex obsoletus	wood wasp
32	WWW	CT	Tremex columba	Tremex columba	pigeon tremex
33	HB	CT	Pangonia incisuralis	Esenbeckia incisuralis
34	WWW	CT	Gryllus formosus	Tropideolophus formosus
34	WWW	CT	Gryllus hirtipes	Acrolophitaus hirtipes	green fool grasshopper
34	WWW	CT	Gryllus trifasciatus	Hadrotettix trifaxciatus	threebanded grasshopper
35	TRP	CT	Heteromyia fasciata	Heteromyia fasciata	biting midge
36	WWW	CT	Hipparchia andromacha

Table for Volume 3, 1828

Plate	Artist	Engraver	Name in American Entomology	Current scientific name	Common name(s)
37	TRP	CT	Spectrum femoratum
38	TRP	CT	Spectrum bivittatum
39	CT	CT	Languria bicolor	Languria bicolor	lizard beetle
39	CT	CT	Languria mozardi	Languria mozardi	clover stem borer
39	CT	CT	Languria puncticollis	Languria puncticollis
39	CT	CT	Languria trifasciata	Languria trifasciata	lizard beetle
40	TRP	CT	Papilio turnus	Papilio glaucus	eastern tiger swallowtail
41	CAL	CT	Enoplium onustum	Enoplium onustum
41	CAL	CT	Enoplium pilosum	Enoplium pilosum
41	CAL	CT	Enoplium damicorne	Enoplium damicorne
41	CAL	CT	Enoplium quadripunctatum	Enoplium quadripunctatum
42	TRP	CT	Pompilus formosus	Pompilus formosus	spider wasp
42	TRP	CT	Pompilus unifasciatus	Pompilus unifasciatus
42	TRP	CT	Pompilus terminatus	Pompilus terminatus
43	CAL	GSL	Tetyra fimbriata	Tetyra fimbriata
43	CAL	GSL	Tetyra cinctipes	Amaurochrous cinctipes	turtle bug
43	CAL	GSL	Tetyra violacea
43	CAL	GSL	Tetyra alternata	Eurygaster alternata	shield-backed bug
44	TRP	CT	Phryganea subfasciata	Pychnopsyche subfasciata	fasciated northern caddisfly
44	TRP	CT	Phryganea dosuaria
44	TRP	CT	Phryganea semifasciata	Ptilostomis semifasciata	giant casemaker
44	TRP	CT	Phryganea interrupta	Leptoceruis interruptus	long-horn caddisfly
45	TRP	CT	Cychrus viduus
45	TRP	CT	Sphæroderus stenostomus	Sphæroderus stenostomus	ground beetle
45	TRP	CT	Sphæroderus bilobus	Nomaretus bilobas	ground beetle
45	TRP	CT	Scaphinotus elevatus	Scaphinotus elevatus	eastern snail eater
46	TRP	CT	Melitæa myrina	Melitæa myrina	pearl-border frittilary
47	TRP	CT	Ploiaria brevipennis	Emesaya brevipennis	assassin bug
48	CAL	CT	Malachius bipunctatus	Collops bipunctatis	two-spotted melyrid
48	CAL	CT	Malachius tricolor	Collops tricolor	melyrid, flower beetle
48	CAL	CT	Malachius nigriceps	Collops nigriceps	black-headed melyrid
48	CAL	CT	Malachius vittatus	Collops vittatus	melyrid, flower beetle
48	CAL	CT	Malachius otiosus
49	TRP	CT	Philanthus canaliculatus	Eucerceris canaliculata	wasp
49	TRP	CT	Philanthus zonatus	Eucerceris zonata
49	TRP	CT	Philanthus vertilabris	Philanthus vertilabris
49	TRP	CT	Philanthus politus	Philanthus politus	beewolf, bee-hunting wasp
50	TRP	CT	Hipparchia semidea	Oeneis melissa	melissa arctic
51	CAL	CT	Boletophagus cornutus	Bolitophagus cristatus	forked fungus beetle
51	CAL	CT	Boletophagus corticola	Bolitophagus corticola	fungus beetle
52	TRP	CT	Sphyracephala brevicornis	Sphyracephala brevicornis	stalk-eyed fly
53	CAL	CT	Clytus speciosus	Glycobius speciosus	sugar maple borer
53	CAL	CT	Clytus hamatus	Clytus ruricola	long-horned beetle
53	CAL	CT	Clytus undulatus	Xylotrechus undulatus	spruce zebra beetle
54			Danaus plexippus	Danaus plexippus	monarch butterfly

For modern entomological taxonomy, see ITIS: Integrated Taxonomic Information System.

For common names of insects, see Entomological Society of America. Suggested search terms: leaf beetle, cicada killer, peachtree; in the Author search box, search Say and (Say). The parentheses indicate that the first published description was given by Say and that the current scientific name differs from the name given by Say.

There are thousands of entomological websites about various taxa. See, for example, Jens Prens, An Annotated Inventory of the Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) Described by Thomas Say.

For further information about Thomas Say in Philadelphia and New Harmony, see Pennsylvania Heritage

Charlotte M. Porter gives a detailed study of the early years of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, including the work there of William Maclure, Thomas Say, Charles Alexandre Lesueur, and associated scientists, artists, and publishers, in "The Concussion of Revolution: Publications and Reform at the Early Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 1812-1842, Journal or the History of Biology, vol. 12, no. 2 (Autumn 1979) 2;73-292.

The carousel below shows only those plates in American Entomology that are signed by the engraver C. Tiebout.

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