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.