Item PZ 44.4 Lithographic colour proof - Thersites atun, The Barracouta, and Thynnus thynnus, The Tunny, by Ludwig Becker

Summary

Hand coloured proof of a Barracouta, Thyrsites atun, and a Southern Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus maccoyii, by Ludwig Becker. This work was commissioned by Frederick McCoy, the first Director of The National Museum of Victoria, for Plate 44, in 'The Prodromus of the Zoology of Victoria; Figures and descriptions of the living species of all classes of the Victoria indigenous animals'. McCoy originally spelt the name of the Barracouta Thersites atun. He also concluded incorrectly that Southern Bluefin Tuna were the same species as Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus,

This proof forms part of the much larger Prodromus Collection. Many of the original illustrations and prints in the collection informed the production of The Prodromus, the first major zoological publication of the National Museum of Victoria. Between 1878 and 1890, McCoy published his zoology 'Prodromus' as 20 parts in two volumes, with each part comprising 20 Plates. Unfortunately, almost 90 plates in the collection remain unpublished, and hundreds of illustrations were either not completed or not printed.

Description of Content

Southern Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus maccoyii Castelnau, 1872 and Barracouta, Thyrsites atun by Ludwig Becker. Lithographic proof - Lithographic ink and watercolour on paper 21cm x 15cm. Hand coloured proof published as Plate 44 in The Prodromus of the Zoology of Victoria by Frederick McCoy.