HBWAlive Key; mission accomplished or mission impossible? (2 Viewers)

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Thus, the years of "our guy", Édouard Martin, located in Russia, "Professor of the University of Ekaterinburg", commemorated in Bonaparte's "Buteo martini Hardy" (1857), remains a mystery.

Also note (if relevant) that this taxon was/is listed as: "Buteo tachardus, a. martini, Hardy", on p.123 in the same Journal (alt. see the links in Mark's post #50).

The search goes on ... 🔎

 

[Taphrospilus]

Maybe a search with Эдуард Мартин helps? Or could it be the German Eduard Arnold Martin (1809–1875)? I would exclude his son August Eduard Martin (1847-1933).

 

[l_raty]

Jacques Josse Hardy (from Dieppe) called him "mon concitoyen" (my fellow citizen), hence I would expect him to be, at the very least, French... and, actually, quite likely from Dieppe. (This was in a French journal. "Concitoyen" can mean "from the same country" but, if used in this sense in a text addressed to an audience that was expected to be from that same country as well, one would have expected "notre concitoyen" ("our fellow citizen"). Thus it seems more likely that "from the same city" was intended.)

I have tried to search for him in Russian before, but so far without success.

 

[Taphrospilus]

PS. Nor do I understand the part; '... y nombró varias especies franciae en honor a su hija Francia; ...'/' ... named several species "franciae" in honour of his daughter Francia; ..' in Jan's quoted text. Several? What other birds (than Amazilia franciae)?

If not a descriptive name I would think that "Eulidie"" awaits to be found in the circle of Loddiges. Ot Mulsant. Or hidden (somewhere) in Greek or Roman mythology (like many other names by Mulsant) ... ?
--

Just a guess but I may be on the wrong track. There was a Françoise Boucier died in 1846 (year of description):

Visionneuse - Archives de Paris p. 12/51. Of couse she was very old but maybe in some family relationship with Jules Bourcier?

Other option may that the name was Francine?

What may count against the above in OD t.9 (1846) - Annales des Sciences Physiques et Naturelles d'Agriculture et d'Industrie - Biodiversity Heritage Library as she is called Mademoiselle.

Nous avons dédié cette espèce à Mlle Francia Bourcier.

 

[PScofield]

Jules's brother

Joseph Marie Eugène BOURCIER 1800-1875

Had a daughter with his first wife Jenny:

Francia Bourcier (c 1834-). Francia does appear to be shortening of Françoise as the 1851 census has her under that name (with her father and step mother - who was also her aunt!)

Susanne Francoise Athenais Bourcier (14 Nov 1834-)

Thus Francia was Jules niece!

 

[Taphrospilus]

Most probably died 1880 in Lyon (according filae).

https://www.fondsenligne.archives-lyon.fr/v2/ac69/visualiseur/etatcivil.html?id=690005009 p. 84/204 6. September 1880.


Married with Pierre Charles Joseph Roche.

 

[l_raty]

Birth: https://www.fondsenligne.archives-lyon.fr/v2/ac69/visualiseur/etatcivil.html?id=690011627 , 290/382.

Her first given name is admittedly spelled "Susanne" in her birth record, but this is not at all a usual spelling in French. The standard "Suzanne" is used everywhere else, so far as I can find right now -- in the corresponding table décennale (https://www.fondsenligne.archives-lyon.fr/v2/ac69/visualiseur/etatcivil.html?id=690106913&vue=2 , 163/305), in her marriage record (Santenay, 16 Jul 1854 : Ir ead visu lien , 249-50/253) and in her death record (link in Martin's post above). I would be inclined to treat the spelling used in the birth record as a lapsus calami.

Athénaïs should be written with a diaeresis (-ï-). (This affects the pronunciation and, without it, it looks like a demonym. There is one in all the records listed above.)

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Great job, well done, guys!

Re. the dedicatee in/of the Andean Emerald (Amazilia) Uranomitra franciae BOURCIER & MULSANT 1846 (OD in post #584), as: "LE C. [COLIBRI] DE FRANCIA T. [Trochilus] Franciæ"

Thus (this far, in my notes), it's either (in direct reference to the OD): Miss/Mademoiselle Suzanne (alt. Susanne?) Françoise 'Francia' Athénaïs Bourcier (born 1834), alt. (in full): Mrs/Madame Suzanne Françoise 'Francia' Athénaïs Roche, née Bourcier (1834–1880).

Disclaimer: If she ever took her husband's surname is unknown to me, as she's clearly: "Suzanne Françoise Athénaïs Bourcier" in her Death record (see link in post #586). A widow by then?

Björn

PS. A minor (French) detail, doesn't her Death record state that she died: "Le sept Septembre ...", meaning, on the 7th (and not the 6th, as claimed in Martin's post #586) ... ?

 

[l_raty]

Disclaimer: If she ever took her husband's surname is unknown to me, as she's clearly: "Suzanne Françoise Athénaïs Bourcier" in her Death record (see link in post #586). A widow by then?

In Belgium, and I think in France too, so far as the administration is concerned, someone's name does not change as a consequence of a marriage. In the official records, a woman always appears under her maiden name.
The record says

[...] épouse de Pierre Charles Joseph Roche [...]​

If she had been a widow, she should in principle have been presented as such, i.e.:

[...] veuve de Pierre Charles Joseph Roche [...]​

So for me the husband was still alive.

PS. A minor (French) detail, doesn't her Death record state that she died: "Le sept Septembre ...", meaning, on the 7th (and not the 6th, as claimed in Martin's post #586) ... ?

In this type of record, the date is most often the date on which the record was established. For the date of the recorded event, you must check the text. Here:

Le sept Septembre mil huit cent quatre vingt [...] par devant nous soussigné adjoint au maire [...] ont comparu Charles François Marie Joseph Roche [...] et Alphonse Louis Chosson [...], lesquels ont déclaré que: Suzanne Françoise Athénaïs Bourcier [...] est décédée hier à dix heures du soir au domicile de son mari.​

= On 7 Sep 1880 [...] before us undersigned Deputy-Mayor [...] appeared Charles François Marie Joseph Roche [...] and Alphonse Louis Chosson [...], who declared that: Suzanne Françoise Athénaïs Bourcier [...] passed away yesterday at 10 in the evening in her husband's residence.​

So, yes, I agree that she died on 6 Sep 1880.
Similarly, her birth record is dated to 15 Nov 1834, but she was born the day before, i.e., on 14 Nov 1834.

 

[Taphrospilus]

Thanks for the "Well-squeezed Hummingbird", Jan, but I think the Swedish Taxonomy (and Name) Committée will disregard; väl sammanpressad kolibri (as the Swedish name for the Eulidia Hummingbird). It sounds like a (poor) all compressed bird, having ended up in a mangle (or a printing press). Compared to that I definitely prefer the Common/Vernacular names as they are; Chilean Woodstar, and chilensk skogsjuvel (in Swedish), for Eulidia yarrellii.

Björn

PS. I actually thought I was onto something, with the squeezed Latin Elïdo in connection to Eulidia, and its squeezed tail feathers. Sigh!

The search goes on!

Was William Yarrell ever married? If yes what is the name of his wife?

Or could it be for Eulalie Delile?

Same as in v.1 (1835) - Distribution méthodique de la famille des Graminées - Biodiversity Heritage Library...

Dixi hoc genus in honorem Eulaliæ Delile, cujus perito elegantique penicillo icones operis ut et quorumdam aliorum debet botanice.

Could it be the same origin as Ulidia MEIGEN , 1826 T.5 (1826) - Systematische Beschreibung der bekannten europäischen zweiflügeligen Insekten - Biodiversity Heritage Library ?

...,so heiße ich sie Ulidia von dem Griechischen Ule, Narbe, weil sie eine narbige Stirne haben.

=> oulí. ουλή scar

 

[Mike Earp]

Was William Yarrell ever married? If yes what is the name of his wife?

No wife is mentioned in his Wikipedia entry (here). There is also a recent biography (Christine E. Jackson 2022, A Newsworthy Naturalist: the Life of William Yarrell), page 108 of which (see below) which seems to suggest he was not married, at least when he died. I have not seen the whole book though.

 

[Taphrospilus]

REICHENBACH, L.
• Bathilda as in the generic name "Bathilda" 1862.
In 1857 Bonaparte supposedly creates a name Ptilocalpa bathilda BonAPARTE, Iconogr. Pigeons Tb. 15. . I cannot find this in here: 1857 - Iconographie des pigeons - Biodiversity Heritage Library . But that was the year Bonaparte died so? (Thesaurus ornithologiae, Volume 3
p. 366)
Ptilocalpa Reichenbach 1861 has a card saying it is an emendation of Ptilocolpa Bonaparte.
http://www.zoonomen.net/cit/RI/Genera/P/p01974a.jpg .
Then in 1862-3 Reichenbach publishes Bathilda genus.
http://www.zoonomen.net/cit/RI/Genera/B/B00089A.jpg .
And Charles Bonaparte daughter Bathilde died in 1861. It must be named for her. As stated in Eponym.
Reichenbach called it la Bathilde.
[Abt.4]:Bd.4 (1862) [Text] - Die vollständigste Naturgeschichte der Vögel - Biodiversity Heritage Library .
And the red-tailed Bathilda.
[Abt.4]:Bd.4 (1862) [Text] - Die vollständigste Naturgeschichte der Vögel - Biodiversity Heritage Library .

I can't see the connection between a Pigeon and the Finch. Why should Reichenbach think about a daughter (which he probably did not even knew) of Bonaparte 5 years after his death? But at least a theory.

OD [Abt.4]:Bd.4 (1862) [Text] - Die vollständigste Naturgeschichte der Vögel - Biodiversity Heritage Library

The Key to Scientific Names - Birds of the World

Species accounts for all the birds of the world.

birdsoftheworld.org

(Estrildidae; † Star Finch B ruficauda) Probably after St Bathilda or Balthild (c. 626-68) Anglo-Saxon wife of Clovis II King of Burgundy and Neustria, Queen Regent c. 657-664, who abolished slavery in the kingdom; but (1) Bathilde Aloïse Léonie Comtesse de Cambacérès (1840-1861) daughter of French ornithologist Prince Bonaparte, and (2) Bathilde, daughter of the Prince of Courland and betrothed to Albrecht of Silesia, characters in the ballet "Giselle", first performed in 1841, should not be discounted; "X. Bathilda RCHB. Die Bathilda, la Bathilde. Red-tailed Finch. Der Schnabel tritt durch zwei krumme Linien mit spitzwinkeliger Schneppe in die Stirn, am Eintritt zeigen sich zwei bogenförmige Querrunzel-Eindrücke, die Schneiden sind sehr dick, die Spalte ein seichter Bogen ohne Ecke am Rachen. Schwingen 1—3 gleichlang und längste! alle folgende abnehmend, Hinterschwingen noch kürzer! Schwanzfedern sanft gesteigert, Seitenfedern an der breiten Innenfahne spitzewärts schief abgeschnitten, beide Mittelfedern länger und spitzewärts gleichförmig verschmälert. Lauf bestimmt länger als Mittelzehe ohne Nagel. ... 41—43. B. ruficauda (Amadina — GOULD proceed. IV. 106. Synops. I. Estrelda — GOULD B. Austral. III. pl. 84. Astrilda — RCHB. Vög. N.-Holl. n. 138.)" (Reichenbach 1862); "Bathilda Reichenbach, 1862-63, Singvögel, p. 19. Type, by monotypy, Amadina ruficauda Gould." (Mayr in Peters, 1968, XIV, p. 356).

As well why St Bathilda or Balthild for a bird from Australia and Bathilde, daughter of the Prince of Courland?

Apart from that I am wondering which is the correct OD of Bathilda ruficauda (Gould, 1837)?
A synopsis of the birds of Australia, and the adjacent islands - Biodiversity Heritage Library according Bathilda ruficauda (Star Finch) - Avibase and http://www.zoonomen.net/avtax/pass.html but this OD refers to pt.4-8 (1836-1840) - Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London - Biodiversity Heritage Library ? So why priority to A synopsis of the birds of Australia, and the adjacent islands?

 

[l_raty]

Apart from that I am wondering which is the correct OD of Bathilda ruficauda (Gould, 1837)?
A synopsis of the birds of Australia, and the adjacent islands - Biodiversity Heritage Library according Bathilda ruficauda (Star Finch) - Avibase and http://www.zoonomen.net/avtax/pass.html but this OD refers to pt.4-8 (1836-1840) - Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London - Biodiversity Heritage Library ? So why priority to A synopsis of the birds of Australia, and the adjacent islands?

Gould presented the bird at the 25 Oct 1836 meeting of the Zoological Society. The proceeding covering this meeting appeared in No. XLVI of the PZS (= pp. 87-106 of "Part IV", which covered 1836 meetings; see "No. XLVI.--Proceedings of the Zoological Society." in the footer of p. 87, and the similar indication marking the start of the next No. in the footer of p. 107). The sheets of this part were listed by Sclater 1893 as having been received from the printer by the Society on 20 Feb 1837.
The first part of the Synopsis, which included this bird, was indicated in the work as having been published in Jan 1837. This is to be accepted (as 31 Jan 1837) unless there is evidence to the contrary -- and is before 20 Feb 1837.
Of course, Gould knew, in Jan 1837, that he had presented the bird at an Oct 1836 meeting, and that the proceeding of this meeting would inevitably end up in the 1836 volume of the PZS : the fact that he mentioned this in the Synopsis is no evidence that this proceeding had actually already been published. Note that he did not mention page numbers -- presumably because he did not know them yet.

 

[Taphrospilus]

First posting here after a long time lurking, so please be gentle

While researching Lanius shrikes for my blog, I couldn't come up with a convincing explanation for 'marwitzi' (as in Lanius collaris marwitzi). The Key points to Adalbert von der Marwitz (i.e. Georg Cornelius Adalbert von der Marwitz, 1856–1929).

Marwitzi is always used by Reichenow (e.g. for shrike, swallow, wood hoopoe sspp.) in honour of a 'Oberleutnant v.d. Marwitz'. I believe this is not Adalbert v.d. Marwitz but Lothar von der Marwitz. According to the French wikipedia page for Georg Adalbert (<Georg von der Marwitz — Wikipédia>), Marwitz was stationed in Berlin in 1899; further, he was no longer Oberleutnant (which is Reichenow's address) but Major, and not yet Oberstleutnant.

The only other Oberleutnant von der Marwitz, stationed in the region, seems to be a Lothar von der Marwitz, of which is very little known, only that he was stationed in the region at the time the types were collected. He is most likely the Marwitz of Iringa garrison/Malangali station and the 'Uhehe' region, involved in the so-called Maji Maji rising, mentioned in various sources.

One source is https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/14527399.pdf (search for marwitz): bibliographical entry of travels through German East Africa by a Oberleutnant Lothar von der Marwitz.

BTW I think the von der Marwitz in Cameroon might be someone else altogether again.

---------------

Joek Roex
http://birdsandwords.eu

Sorry I want to come back on this one:

Hirundo dimidiata marwitzi Reichenow, 1903 Bd.2 (1902-1903) - Die Vögel Afrikas - Biodiversity Heritage Library

Ein Herr v.d. Marwitz bei Malangali in Usafua gesammelter Vogel.

Estrilda paludicola marwitzi Reichenow, 1900 8, 1900 - Ornithologische Monatsberichte - Biodiversity Heritage Library
Malangali bei Idundu in Uheho (v.d. Marwitz)
Lanius marwitzi Reichenow, 1901 9, 1901 - Ornithologische Monatsberichte - Biodiversity Heritage Library

die Herr Oberleutnant v. d. Marwitz in Ngomingi im westlichen Uhehegebirge am 16. VII und 28. VIII, 1899 gesammelt hat.

Phoeniculus purpureus marwitzi (Reichenow, 1906) OD 14, 1906 - Ornithologische Monatsberichte - Biodiversity Heritage Library

Mkalama (v.d. Marwitz)

Apus apus marwitzi Reichenow, 1906 OD 14, 1906 - Ornithologische Monatsberichte - Biodiversity Heritage Library
Pyromelana marwitzi Reichenow, 1906 OD 14, 1906 - Ornithologische Monatsberichte - Biodiversity Heritage Library
Andropadus marwitzi Reichenow, 1895 OD 3, 1895 - Ornithologische Monatsberichte - Biodiversity Heritage Library

Lieutenant van der Marwitz

Chaetura stictilaema marwitzi Reichenow, 1906 14, 1906 - Ornithologische Monatsberichte - Biodiversity Heritage Library

The Eponym Dictionary of Birds

A comprehensive dictionary listing all the people whose names are commemorated in the English and scientific names of birds.Birdwatchers often come across bird names that include a person's name, either in the vernacular (English) name or latinised in the scientific nomenclature. Such names are...

books.google.de

Uhehe Fiscal Lanius marwitzi Reichenow, 1901
Little Greenbul ssp. Andropadus virens marwitzi Reichenow, 1895 NCR [NUI Andropadus (or Eurillas) virens zombensis]
Fawn-breasted Waxbill ssp. Estrilda paludicola marwitzi Reichenow, 1900
Pearl-breasted Swallow ssp. Hirundo dimidiata marwitzi Reichenow, 1903
Common Swift ssp. Apus apus marwitzi Reichenow, 1906 NCR [NUI Apus apus pekinensis]
Green Wood-hoopoe ssp. Phoeniculus purpureus marwitzi Reichenow, 1906
Mottled Spinetail ssp. Telacanthura ussheri marwitzi Reichenow, 1906 NCR [JS Telacanthura ussheristictilaema]
Southern Red Bishop ssp Euplectes orix marwitzi Reichenow, 1906 NCR [JS Euplectes orix nigrifrons (or species regarded as monotypic, with clinal size differences)]
Captain Adalbert von der Marwitz (1856–1929) was a German army officer who was in German East Africa (Tanzania) (1895–1906) and was later (1913) in the Cameroons.

The Key to Scientific Names - Birds of the World

Species accounts for all the birds of the world.

birdsoftheworld.org

First Lt. Lothar Heinrich Ludwig von der Marwitz (1869-1918) German Army in German East Africa, collector (Joek Roex in litt.) (syn. Apus apus pekinensis, subsp. Estrilda paludicola, syn. Euplectes orix nigrifrons, syn. Eurillas virens zombensis, subsp. Hirundo dimidiata, subsp. Lanius collaris, subsp. Phoeniculus purpureus, syn. Telacanthura ussheri stictilaema).

But consider also Die Eroberung der Phantasie

Es handelt sich um Briefe eines jungen Offiziers, Kurt von der Marwitz, der im Dezember 1904, knapp vier Monate nach seiner Ankunft in Südwest-Afrika gefallen ist.

This would be him KURT Hildebrandt von der Marwitz . But after some thoughts we may forget about him if he arrived 1904 as some of the birds are described and collected earlier.

Ok LOTHAR Heinrich Ludwig von der Marwitz . But where came the death 1918 from?

LOTHAR Heinrich Ludwig von der Marwitz​
Geburtsdatum:	28 Oktober 1869
Geburtsort:	Greifenberg

 

[PScofield]

Hauptmann von der Marwitz (promotion is rapid during war) was from one of the oldest military families in Prussia. According to family websites he died during the famous 1918 German spring offensive in the Battle of Lys. On 10 April, the German Fourth Army for which von der Marwitz led a battalion attacked north of Armentières with four divisions, against the British 19th Division. The Germans broke through capturing Messines. Von der Marwitz died on 11 April. The German ace Manfred von Richthofen, the "Red Baron," was killed during the same battle (on 21st).

The Allied situation was desperate on the 10th and 11th and General Haig issued his famous "backs to the wall" order. Ultimately the offensive was a failure and one historian estimated British and French casualties at 80,000 and German at c. 250,000.

I believe that the "Hptm a. D." may mean that Marwitz was "ausser Dienst" (i.e. retired) but it may mean "auf dem Dienstwege" which means he got his rank through not what he knew, but who his family knew...

 

[redpandacat]

Hello, I was just looking at the shanhu/shanbu discussion. I wonder if the following is relevant (or perhaps already known) - please let me know if I'm missing the point of the thread. From what I've read here '[Turdus] Shanhu/Shanbu' would be included in what we now call Pterorhinus chinensis - commonly known in English as Black-throated Laughingthrush and in Chinese as 黑喉噪鹛. Interestingly, one of the alterative names is 珊瑚鸟/珊瑚鳥 (shanhuniao) which could be read as 'coral bird'. There's a record of the bird in the 1785 Continuation of Comprehensive Records 續通志 (Xu Tong Zhi) made up of 640 volumes. I believe this is in volume 180 (though my Chinese level is relatively low so could have missed something or misunderstood).

The relevant text (see image) is "珊瑚鳥大於畫眉好鬧出嶺南巧聲之鳥也見山堂肆考" which seems to translate as: "The 'coral bird', larger than the Hwamei, is a lively and skilful singer found in Lingnan, and can be studied/observed in/from mountain pavilions." I think the last part 山堂肆考 is just indicating where the bird can be seen (up mountains).

There are points in favour of this being the same bird: relative size to Hwamei; song notably interesting; Lingnan is right area (and probably covers type specimen location said to be Canton); and if 'mountain pavilions' is correct interpretation then that also seems reasonable habitat. Against: Does the name suggest coral in colour? I suppose some of the back or chest could be considered some murky shade of 'coral' but wouldn't say it's the most notable feature of its appearance. It's possible that 珊瑚 could represent something other than literally coral-coloured.

I suppose it's sensible to be cautious as many other birds could fit those criteria and it's possible to see a connection that might not be there. Any thoughts?

 

[James Jobling]

Hi Redpandacat,
This is fascinating. As you remark, there is nothing coral in the plumage of the Black-throated Laughingthrush. Could the coral be interpreted as perching on coral ornaments/parts of the mountain pavilions? Or could there be a more obscure and hidden explanation?
I have added your comments to The Key entry; if you can tell me your name, I shall be happy to replace Anon. with it!
James
Edit: I assumed coral refers to coral-red, but there are other coral shades, e.g. white or pearlescent, like the cheek patches of the Black-throated Laughingthrush.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Hello, I was just looking at the shanhu/shanbu discussion. [...] Interestingly, one of the alterative names is 珊瑚鸟/珊瑚鳥 (shanhuniao) which could be read as 'coral bird'. There's a record of the bird in the 1785 Continuation of Comprehensive Records 續通志 (Xu Tong Zhi) made up of 640 volumes. I believe this is in volume 180 (though my Chinese level is relatively low so could have missed something or misunderstood).

The relevant text (see image) is "珊瑚鳥大於畫眉好鬧出嶺南巧聲之鳥也見山堂肆考" which seems to translate as: "The 'coral bird', larger than the Hwamei, is a lively and skilful singer found in Lingnan, and can be studied/observed in/from mountain pavilions." ...
[...]
... Any thoughts?

Sorry "redpandacat', I cannot help you with the interpretation of the Chinese text of 1785 (as I know even less Chinese, read: none), I only got involved in this thread as we were discussing the true original spelling, and/alt. the original source, of Gmelin's (today invalid) scientific name (shanbu versus shanhu) of 1789, as James (Jobling) at that point, back in September of 2019, had it ("shanbu") listed among other "epithets that remain unidentified" (see post #228, and #327, 329, 330, 332, 334 ... and onwards), which today, indeed, seems to be a synonym of the (Chinese) shanhuniao Bird/Fowl (Tori) [i.e. today's hard-to-place Black-throated Laughingthrush Pterorhinus/Dryonastes/Ianthocincla/Garrulax chinensis SCOPOLI 1786 (OD in post #329, or here), as: "LANIUS (chinensis)"...]

But, I would assume that (the Google translate version) of 珊瑚鳥 into 'coral bird' might/could mean something completely, totally different (as Google only rarely get things fully correct when dealing with Older Chinese texts).

However, I will ask my Japanese friend, and neighbour Nobuhiko Osawa (who does know Old-school Chinese) if he can understand the Chinese text of 1785? That is, whenever I bump into him ...

I'll keep you updated (if Mr Osawa have anything additional to say, of course).

Björn

PS. But I have to agree; the Chinese name "shanhuniao" does resemble the contemporary name "Shan-hu" (mentioned by both Latham, in 1783, and Pennant, in 1789). Also note that 'niao' (alt. niǎo), with or without hyphen, still today seems to be used, in China, also for other Trushes [like, for example, the Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus SCOPOLI 1786, as "GRACULA (caerulea)", also known as: "niǎo jīng" (in Pinyin, the romanized version of Standard Mandarin/Chinese, at least according to Avibase) described just two pages later, after the above-mentioned chinensis].

Thus, this far, in my notes I'll keep shanhu (and/alt. shanbu) as an Autochthonym. Either way, the etymology seems to be the same (originating in a local, Chinese name, at the time most often written/transcribed as "Shan-hu", for this/that/those certain taxa/Bird/s).

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

In line with what's told in today's Key (early this morning):

shanhu (See: shanbu)

shanbu
"36. BLACK-FACED THR. ... This inhabits China, where it is common in the woods, and lives mostly on insects. It is known there by the name of Shan-hu." (Latham 1783); "107. TURDUS. ... Shanbu. 41. ... Black faced Thrush. Lath. Syn. II. I. p. 37. n. 36. Habitat in Sinae silvis frequens " (J. Gmelin 1789) (Björn Bergenholtz in litt.) (syn. Dryonastes chinensis).

Updated today into:

shanhu (See: shanbu)

shanbu
Chinese name Shanhuniao ?coral bird, for the Black-throated Laughingthrush (Anon. in litt.); "36. BLACK-FACED THR. ... This inhabits China, where it is common in the woods, and lives mostly on insects. It is known there by the name of Shan-hu." (Latham 1783); "107. TURDUS. ... Shanbu. 41. ... Black faced Thrush. Lath. Syn. II. I. p. 37. n. 36. Habitat in Sinae silvis frequens " (J. Gmelin 1789) (Björn Bergenholtz in litt.) (syn. Dryonastes chinensis).

That is, even if I (still) tend towards having it the other way around, as: shanhu, alt. 'shanbu (see: shanhu)'.

However, if it (truly) have/had/has anything to do with 'coral' (either/neither; red, white, or pearlescent) is all unknown to me (but I would be surprised if it did/does) ...

Either way, we'll see what, and if (or when) Mr Osawa have anything to say/add.

/B

 

[redpandacat]

Hi Redpandacat,
This is fascinating. As you remark, there is nothing coral in the plumage of the Black-throated Laughingthrush. Could the coral be interpreted as perching on coral ornaments/parts of the mountain pavilions? Or could there be a more obscure and hidden explanation?
I have added your comments to The Key entry; if you can tell me your name, I shall be happy to replace Anon. with it!
James
Edit: I assumed coral refers to coral-red, but there are other coral shades, e.g. white or pearlescent, like the cheek patches of the Black-throated Laughingthrush.

Hi James. Thanks for the reply. That's great about the update to The Key (btw, I go by Nat Panda). And your comments are thoughtful regarding other meanings of "coral" (or indeed the wide range of possible colours). I hadn't actually thought of the cheeks but that's also possible.

And thank you @Björn Bergenholtz I might not have noticed this had it not been for your many replies regarding the name. The wiktionary entry doesn't give other suggestions regarding 珊瑚 but I agree it's quite possible it represents something other than colour. I will also ask around in some Chinese bird groups.