Thursday 28 April 2016

19th Century Naturalist Made Up At Least 28 Fake Species To Prank A Rival

image credit Smithsonian Institution Archives

A 19th century prank, sprung by John James Audubon on another naturalist, was so extensive and so well executed that its full scope is only now coming to light.

The prank began when the French naturalist Constantine Rafinesque sought on Audubon on a journey down the Ohio River in 1818. Audubon was known among colleagues for his ornithological drawings. Rafinesque was on the hunt for new species and he imagined that Audubon might have unwittingly included some unnamed specimens in his sketches.

(via Neatorama)

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