Sunday, 27 September 2020

Clifden Nonpareil returns home

The Clifden Nonpareil was first recorded in the UK at what is now the National Trust estate at Cliveden, near Taplow in South Bucks. After almost 300 years it has turned up there again. Owen Hibben (NT) spotted one on a Beech trunk on 26 September. The odd thing about the original record is that I have not been able to find a published year for it. I have the month, July, and the name of the recorder (also kept the specimen). It must be somewhere, but going back to the 1730s (or thereabouts) is not so easy. If anyone can shed any light on the year for the original I'd be most grateful to hear from them.
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8 comments:

  1. Martin Wainwright28 September 2020 at 14:43

    Hi Martin. I think my info will be the same as yours, but in case it adds anything: most references seem to go back to Benjamin Wilkes' 'English Moths and Butterflies' published in 1749 which states: THE CLEIFDEN NONPAREIL, a Moth. This curious Fly was found by Mr Davenport, sticking against the body of an Asp Tree, near Cleifden, in Buckinghamshire. It was taken in the Month of July; Is at present in the Possession of Charles Lockyer, Esq; and is the only one of the Sort that I have yet seen or heard of.' But J.Heath's 'The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland', published 1983, suggests that 'it has been known in Britain since at least 1740'. Hope that helps - and that you are writing an expert account of its glorious revival! All best and thanks again for help on many occasions. M

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    1. Martin Albertini28 September 2020 at 22:21

      Martin you have the same information as me. There is also an account that says the moth was on the plinth of a statue.
      Wilkes was published in 1749, so I have taken it that the Cliveden specimen was prior to 1749.
      Heaths statement, if he believes the Cliveden specimen was the first suggest it was 1940 or earlier.
      I do wonder if the original specimen exists and if it has a label does it have a year?
      I need to consult older literature, or did Wilkes get his information by word of mouth?

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  2. Steve Trigg28 September 2020 at 16:04

    As I can see Cliveden from my bedroom window, I live in hope that one day a Clifden Nonpareil will grace my garden.

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  3. John Thacker29 September 2020 at 11:40

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. John Thacker29 September 2020 at 12:11

    When I wrote a piece about the Clifden Nonpareil on this blog in 2017 (quoting the same passage as Martin W above), I also looked to see if any other early Lepidoptera publications (post 1850s) had any more precise dating of Davenport's finding, but to no avail. However, when looking for information on Charles Lockyer I found a transcript of his will from 1753 which indirectly gives some further information on the potential location of his collections. Appended to the will was the following further information on Lockyer by Tina Rowe, who has carried out research into the Lockyer family: "Charles Lockyer was a member of the Royal Society with a particular interest in moths. Some of the specimens he collected were acquired by his friend Sir Hans Sloane and are still held at the Natural History Museum," So it might be worth seeing if the NHM has the specimen and hopefully a date!

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  5. Martin Wainwright29 September 2020 at 12:18

    I v much agree with John. I’ve been pottering around on Google and this website http://www.bhsproject.co.uk/CharlesLockyer.pdf has lots on Lockyer including his introduction of the Gipsy Moth to Ealing and his breeding there of Green-brindles Crescents to which he gave the excellent name of Ealing Glory. He had a lot to do with the butterfly painter John Dutfield who may also be part of the story. Odhu ntinggo as Big Chief I-Spy used to say!

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  6. Martin Wainwright29 September 2020 at 23:00

    Just to add that there are 284 CN entries on the NMH digitalised record online - https://data.nhm.ac.uk I had a quick look at several from the 1930s and 1950s but it would prob be quicker to email the entomology dept and ask. They feature the Sloane insect collection online but I couldn’t immediately see a digital guide to it. All best again M

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  7. Martin Albertini1 October 2020 at 00:00

    Thanks for all the comments.
    I did have contact with the NHM, Martin Honey, a few years ago, but the Catoala where on loan/not available. I hoped the digitisation project would reveal some information, but it hadn't when I last looked.
    It would be interesting if the Lockyer information includes when he obtained specimens from Davenport, or his collection.

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