Museum Collection
TAXIDERMY MOUNTS OF BIRDS AND MAMMALS ON DISPLAY IN
REGIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, MYSORE CITY
The Regional museum of Natural History, Mysore has a fairly good collection of taxidermy related articles in its reserve collection from various museums in Karnataka state. As part of didactic exhibits, a fraction of the collections which have direct relevance with the fauna of south India and Western Ghats are put on display in the bio diversity gallery and in discovery centre.
Interestingly most of the taxidermy mounts of mammals are of zoo animals, prepared by the celebrated artists in Taxidermy, M/s Van Ingen & Van Ingen, Mysore. Regarding the birds, the mounts might have been prepared by departmental taxidermists or by some unknown local artists.
Part I - Birds
There are birds belonging to 7 orders and 11 families, which include waders, Arboreal and Semi aquatic groups.
[* Scientific names after Rasmussen, P.c. & Anderton, J.C.2012. Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Vols. 1 & 2.]
Part II - Mammals
There are animals belonging to 5 orders and 9 families which include carnivores, Omnivores, and Herbivores.
PART I - BIRDS
ORDER: CICINIFORMES
FAMILY: ARDEIDAE
1. Scientific name: *Egretta intermedia [Syn. Mesophoyx intermedia (Wagler)]
Common name: English - Median Egret, Intermediate Egret
Kannada - Madhyama Bellakki
Sex: ? Adult
ORDER: ANSERIFORMES
FAMILY: ANATIDAE
2. Scientific name: Cygnus olor (Gmelin)
Common name: English - Mute Swan
Kannada - Hamsa (found beyond Indian Limit)
Sex: Male ♂, Adult
3. Scientific name: Spatula clypeata [Syn. Anas clypeata (Linnaeus )]
Common name: English - Northern shoveller
Kannada- Chaluka bAtu
Sex: Male ♂, Adult
ORDER: GRUIFORMES
FAMILY: OTIDIDAE
4. Scientific name: Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors)
Common name: English - Great Indian Bustard
Kannada - Hukkana hakki, Erladdu
Sex: Male ♂, Adult
ORDER: CHARADRIIFORMES
FAMILY: CHARADRIIDAE SUB FAMILY: CHARADRIINAE
5. Scientific name: Tringa stagnatilis (Bechstein)
Common name: English - Marsh Sandpiper
Kannada - Jaugu Gadde Gorava
Sex: ? Adult
ORDER: COLUMBIFORMES
FAMILY: COLUMBIDIDAE
6. Scientific name: Streptopelis senegalansis cambayensis (Gmelin)
Common name: English - Laughing Dove, Indian little Brown Dove
Kannada- Nage chore hakki, kandu beLava
Sex: ? Adult
7. Scientific name: Ducula aenea (Linnaeus)
Common name: English - Green Imperial Pigeon
Kannada- Hasiru MuniyaDalu
Sex: ? Adult
ORDER: CUCULIFORMES
FAMILY: CUCULIDAE
8. Scientific name: Centropus sinensis (Stephens)
Common name: English - Greater Coucal
Kannada - Kembhoota, Rathna Pakshi
Sex: ? Adult
ORDER: CORACIIFORMES
FAMILY: ALCEDINIDAE
9. Scientific name: Halcycon smyrnensis (Linnaeus)
Common name: English - White breasted Kingfisher, White throated Kingfisher
Kannada - Bili Ede MinchuLLi, Gadde MinchuLLI
Sex: ? Adult
ORDER: CORACIIFORMES
FAMILY: BUCEROTIDAE
10. Scientific name: Ocyceros griseus (Latham)
Common name: English - Malabar Grey Hornbill
Kannada - Male Mangate, kokkanakki
Sex: ? Adult
11. Scientific name: Anthracoceros coronatus Boddaert
Common name: English - Malabar pied Horn bill (Head mount only) hakki
Kannada - Male Daasa Mangate
Sex: Male ♂, Adult
ORDER: PICIFORMES
FAMILY: CAPITONIDAE
12. Scientific name: Megalaima asiatica (Latham)
Common name: English - Blue Throated Barbet,
Kannada - found only in lower Himalayan limit and NE India (Indian Limit)
Sex: ? Adult
FAMILY: PICIDAE
13. Scientific name: Dryocopus javensis (Horsfield)
Common name: English - Indian great Black wood pecker, white bellied wood
Kannada - Hemmarakutiga
Sex: Male ♂, Adult
ORDER: PASSERIFORMES
FAMILY: DICRURIDAE
14. Scientific name: Edolius macrocercus [Syn. Dicrurus macrocercus (Vieillot)]
Common name: English - Black Drongo
Kannada - Kaajaana
Sex: ? Adult
FAMILY: PLOCEIDAE SUBFAMILY: PASSERINAE
15. Scientific name: Passer domesticus (Linnaeus)
Common name: English - House Sparrow,
Kannada - Gubbi
Sex: Female ♀, Adult
PART II –MAMMALS
ORDER: CORNIVORA
FAMILY: FELIDAE
1. Scientific name: Panthera tigris (Linnaeus)
Common name: English - Tiger, Royal Bengal Tiger
Kannada - Huli
Sex: One adult Male ♂ ; Two adults Female ♀;and, one juvenile female
2. Scientific name: Panthera leo (Linnaeus)
Common name: English - Lion
Kannada - Simha.
Sex: Male ♂, Adult
3. Scientific name: Panthera pardus (Linnaeus)
Common name: English - Leopard
Kannada - Chirate
Sex: Female ♀. Adult
SUBFAMILY: FELINAE
4. Scientific name: Acinonyx jubatus (Schreber)
Common name: English - Hunting Cheetah
Kannada - BEte Chirate
Sex: Female ♀, Adult
5. Scientific name: Felis temmincki (Vigors & Horsefield )
Common name: English - Golden Cat
Kannada - Bangara bekku, Kaadu bekku
Sex: - Female ♀, Adult
6. Scientific name: Felis benghalensis (Ker)
Common name:-English - Leopard Cat
Kannada - Chirate bekku
FAMILY: HYAENIDAE
7. Scientific name: Hyaena hyaena (Linnaeus)
Common name: English - The Striped Hyaena
Kannada - Katte Kiruba
Sex: ? adult
FAMILY: CANIDAE SUBFAMILY: CANINAE
8. Scientific name: Cuon alpinus (Pallas) (Cuon alpinus dukhunensis (Sykes)?)
Common name: English - Dhole, Indian Wild dog
Kannada - Seelu naayi
Sex:? Adult
FAMILY: URSIDAE
9. Scientific name: Melurus ursinus (Shaw)
Common name: English - The Sloth Bear
Kannada - Kari Karadi, Somaari Karadi
Sex: ? Adult
FAMILY: AILURIDAE
10. Scientific name: - Ailurus fulgens F.Cuvier
Common name: English- The Cat-bear or Red Panda
Kannada- Kempukaradi
Sex: ? Adult
ORDER: RODENTIA
FAMILY: SCIURIDAE
11. Scientific name: Ratufa indica Erxleben
Common name: English - The Gaint Indian Squirrel
Kannada - Kendalilu
Sex: ? Adult
ORDER: LOGOMARPHA
FAMILY: LEPROIDAE
12. Scientific name: Lepus nigricollis nigricollis F.Cuvier
Common name: English - The Black Naped Hare
Kannada- Kaadu Mola
Sex: ? Adult
ORDER: PROBOSCIDAE
FAMILY: ELEPHANTIDAE
13. Scientific name: Elephus maximus Linnaeus
Common name: English - Elephant
Kannada - AAnemari
Sex: One male & one female (There are two Elephant calves)
ORDER: ARTIODACTYLA
FAMILY: BOVIDAE
14. Scientific name: Antilope cervicapra (Linnaeus)
Common name: English - Black buck or Indian Antelope
Kannada - Krishna mruga, Chigare, Erale.
Sex: Male ♂. Adult
15. Scientific name: - Axis axis (Erxleben)
Common name: English: The Chital or Spotted Deer
Kannada: Chukke Jinke, Harina,
Sex: Male ♂, Adult
Reference:
Ali,S. & Ripley, S.D. 1987. Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. 2nd ed. Delhi: Oxford University Press.
About Author
Mr. S.J.Srinivasa is a sculptor by profession, by passion an amateur naturalist. Employed with Regional Museum of Natural History, Mysore for past 20 years and has taken a major responsibility in establishing the exhibits and maintenance there.