HBWAlive Key; mission accomplished or mission impossible? (1 Viewer)

[JustinJansen]

Thank you Björn for your posts! Very interesting to me. The sales catalogue of the Leverian Museum is an intersting document but no shanbu nor shanhu.

Even more intresting are the annotated versions of the sale catalogue.....

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Summary update

As this loooooong and lengthy thread clearly has lost some of its original steam (except for Joek's most recent sidetracks, and my own stubborn chewing on the "Shan-hu" case ), and as I happened to keep track of the various developments in this thread (from the very start of it, back in April this year), and kept on updating my list/notes of it, as the months went by, I might as well post it all here and now (after more than 380 posts!), simply to keep the kettle boiling ... hopefully of some use.

Thereby, here's a Summary of Post #1 (and #19), as well as James's added #228, and #255, #267, and also the latest (last?) one in post #282 ... [except for all the names coined by G. M. Mathews which I (somewhat undisciplined) moved, for the sake of convenience, to James's older thread Bamba to Zarda - the legacy of Gregory Mathews (here), as I assume they're would all be easier to handle, in this way, closely connected].

The ones we've already managed to solve, along the way, to a satisfactory level (at least enough for James and his HBW Alive Key), is not included in the list below.

All names in blue have been dealt with earlier here in the Bird Name Etymology subforum (some of them only as far as finding the OD, others a bit deeper, like for example, norrisii, recently dealt with in another thread). Anyone keen on giving either one yet another try; use the "Search this Forum" function to find each name respectively (in various, different threads), find the OD itself, and start from there. Note that the green ones only have been dealt with in this thread alone, and the black ones, well, they are still waiting, for anyone keen, feeling up to it, eager on giving it a go.

Ok, here goes ...

Unexplained eponyms and other epithets (alt. for some, respectively, insufficiently investigated dittos)

• acoli as in "Falco acoli" DAUDIN 1800

• acormus as in "M. [Muscicapa] acormus" HODGSON 1844 (also see post #245)

• akool as in "Rallus Akool" SYKES 1832

• alice as in "Trochilus alice" BOURCIER & MULSANT 1848

• almae as in "Hylocichla ustulata almæ" OBERHOLSER 1898

• angelica as in "Leptotila fulviventris angelica" BANGS & PENARD 1922 [Not "Dacnis angelica", by Bonaparte 1844 (ex De Fillippi), as commented by Mark and James in post #318-319).

• annae as in"Psamathia annæ" HARTLAUB & FINSCH 1868 (see #221-224)

• Anerpous as in the generic name "Anerpous" TEMMINCK 1821

• argoondah as in "Coturnix Argoondah" SYKES 1832

• azreth as in "Ciconia azreth" BOGDANOV 1884

• Bahila as in the generic name "Bahila" HODGSON 1837 (also see #119)

• Bathilda as in the generic name "Bathilda" REICHENBACH 1862

• belousovi as in "Prunella modularis belousovi" UVAROVA 1950 [In today's Key: "... description not yet seen"]

• benulasa as in (most likely?); "Perdix benulasa", alt. "Francolinus Benulasa" [In today's Key; "reference and citation not yet verified]

• besti as in "Dicaeum besti" STEERE 1890 (see #9)

• birchalli as in "Catharus birchalli" SEEBOHM 1881

• burrowsii as in "Defilippia burrowsii" SHARPE 1894 (has an explanation in today's Key, but some uncertainty might still be present; see #270-271, 273, 277, 280-281)

• burvedii as in "M. [Malaconotus] Burvedii" BLYTH 1843

• cela as in "[Parus] Cela" LINNAEUS 1758 (see post #246-247)

• cherina as in "Drymoica cherina" SMITH 1843

• codea as in "Alauda codea" A. SMITH 1843

• cornelia as in "Hermotimia cornelia" SALVADORI 1878

• cuculio as in "Palœornis cuculio? mihi." McCLELLAND 1837

• culequita as in "Troglodytes brunneicollis culequita" VAN ROSSEM 1938

• danaoides as in "Struthio Danaoides" (see post #291-292, 294, 296-298)

• danisa as in "Sicalis pelzelni danisa" OBERHOLSER 1931

• denisea as in "Columba denisea" TEMMINCK 1830

• Dorisella as in the generic name "Dorisella" WOLTERS 1980 (also see post #321)

• Dorisornis as in the generic name "Dorisornis" WOLTERS 1980 (also see post #321)

• dorotheae as in "Planesticus lherminieri dorotheae" WOLTERS 1980

• elenae as in "Poecile atricapillus elenæ" LOWE 1921

elizae X 2
• as in "Cryptospiza elizæ" ALEXANDER 1903
• as in "Estrilda elizæ" ALEXANDER 1903

• elvirae as in "[Zephyritis] Elviræ" MULSANT, J. VERREAUX & E. VERREAUX 1866

• emmae as in "Pratincola emmae" HARTLAUB 1890 (see post #240-241)

• Eparnetes as in the generic name "Eparnetes" REICHENBACH 1850 (see #213-220)

• Eulidia as in the generic name "Eulidia" MULSANT 1877

• evangelinae as in "Neochima evangelinae" d’ALBERTIS & SALVADORI 1879

• evelynae as in "Trochilus evelynæ" BOURCIER 1847

• Forpus as in the generic name "Forpus" BOIE 1858

• garrinus as in "Parus atricapillus garrinus" BEHLE 1951 (see post #321-326, 328, 331, 333)

• georginae as in "Trochilus georginæ" BOURCIER 1847

• gertrudis as in "Serinus mozambicus gertrudis" GROTE 1934

• harlic as in "P. [Procellaria] harlic" VOIGT 1831

• hauseri as in "Pyrrhula hauseri" KLEINSCHMIDT 1920

• impipi as in "Heliornis impipi", listed by LICHTENSTEIN 1854 (See #264)

• kot as in "Pica pica kot" GAVRILENKO 1929 (see #82, 298-300)

• kuru as in "Picnonotus (Kuhl.) ..., kuru, ..." (only listed by) LESSON 1839

• lagepa as in "Alauda lagepa" A. SMITH 1843 (now has an explanation in today's Key, also see #161-162. I guess James found the last missing piece in "Appendix 4")

• legerli as in "Harpactes fasciatus legerli" KOELZ 1939 (see #166-168)

• licua as in "Strix Licua" LICHTENSTEIN 1842

• luciae as in "Scops luciæ" Sharpe SHARPE 1888

• lyardi as in "Crypturornis soui lyardi" MIRANDA-RIBEIRO1938 (1937)

• magdalenae as in "Carduelis mozambica magdalenae" WOLTERS 1949

• manis as in "Homochlamys fortipes manis" KOELZ 1954 (also see post #301)

• manueli as in "Pternistis afer manueli" WHITE 1945

• margarithae as in "Chalcophaps margarithae" SALVADORI & d'ALBERTIS 1875

mariae X 3!
• as in "T. [Trochilus] Mariæ" BOURCIER & MULSANT 1846
• as in "Chrystoptilus mariæ" HARGITT 1889
• as in "Loxia curvirostra mariae" DEMENTIEV 1932

• marianae as in "Picus flavinucha marianae" BISWAS 1952

• Maridus as in the generic name "Maridus" C. T. WOOD 1837

• Marisca as in the generic name "Marisca nob." GISTEL 1848 (see #30, 48-49)

• maronata as in "E. [Egretta] maronata" (only listed by) HODGSON 1844 (see #70-81)

melba X 2
• as in [Fringilla] Melba" LINNAEUS 1758
• as in [Hirundo] Melba" LINNAEUS 1758

• melittae as in "Aethopyga gouldiae melittae" KOELZ 1954 (see post #293, 295, 301-302)

• Merva as in the generic name "Merva" HODGSON 1847

• Misamichus as in the generic name "Misamichus" STEPHENS 1826, ex Leach MMS. (see posts #236-237)

• musae as in "Oriolus Musae" FORSTER 1844

• Mutevodia as in the generic name "Mutevodia" IREDALE 1956 (also see #199-201)

• myrtae as in "Puffinus assimilis myrtae" BOURNE 1959

• nataliae as in "Turdus philomelus nataliae" BUTURLIN 1929

• neera as in "O. [Ornysmia] neera" LESSON 1839

• Osalia as in the "S-.g." (sub-genus?) Osalia MULSANT, J. VERREAUX & E. VERREAUX 1866

• Penelope as in the generic name "Penelope" MERREM 1786

• Pitalla as in the generic name "Pitalla" NAVÁS 1910 (also see #202-203)

• Polachio as in the generic name Polachio (only listed) MERREM? 1821

• pseudogillia as in "Platyrhynchus pseudogillia" LESSON 1839 (see #181-193)

• pyca as in "B. [Bessethera] pyca" (only listed by) CABANIS 1850 alt. "[Turdirostris] Myiothera pyca" (ditto listed, by) BONAPARTE 1850

• Rauenia as in "Rauenia gen. nov." WOLTERS 1980

• rosamariae as in "Melanerpes superciliosus rosamariae" REGALADO-RUÍZ 1981 (if ever published?): In today's Key: "... description not yet verified"

• sala as in "Alauda sala" SWINHOE 1870

• sanctinicolai as in "Syrnium sancti-nicolai" ZARUDNY 1905 (earlier dealt with in a thread of its own; Santa's Tawny Owl, here)

• sapiti as in "Caprimulgus sapiti" BONAPARTE 1850 (see #265-267, 272-273)

• sephaena as in "Perdix Sephaena" A. SMITH 1836

• shanbu (or shanhu?) as in "[Turdus] Shanbu" alt. " [Turdus] Shanhu GMELIN 1789, sufficiently explained in today's Key (regarding its Etymology), although some doubts, or at least some uncertainty, could remain, though only regarding the true original spelling (see posts; #327, 329-332, 334-343, 370-379)

• Siolia as in the generic name "Siolia" J. BROOKES 1828

• sungu as in "Picnonotus sungu" (only listed by) LESSON 1839 (see #142)

• taigoor as in "Hemipodius Taigoor" SYKES 1832 (see #165)

• tatao as in "[Tanagra] Tatao" LINNAEUS 1766

• tigus as in "Ixos tigus" "BONAPARTE 1850" (see #344-349)

• Timalia as in the generic name "Timalia" HORSFIELD 1821 (see #42-45)

• tiphia as in [Motacilla] Tiphia" LINNAEUS 1758

• tsipi as in "Dicrurus macrocercus tsipi" KOELZ 1954

• urica as in "Merops Urica" HORSFIELD 1822

• velia as in [Motacilla] Velia" LINNAEUS 1758

• woodi as in "Mixornis Woodi" SHARPE 1877 (see #24)

• zya as in "Sylvia zya" SCOPOLI 1769 (see #256-259, 262-263)


Phew! That's all. However, if we while dealing with them (as of above), have solved them, either in full, or in any other, minor way (or even as far as possible), is a whole, whole different thing. Quite a few (actually most) of them could very well need a second go ... by anyone keen. There might still be pieces, out there, still waiting to be found!

But before you start, always remember to check the current entry in the (constantly, continuously updated) HBW Alive Key [here], simply to check if the Key still is missing an explanation or if the name already is/has been sufficiently explained, only to avoid anyone from unnecessary, unwarranted work!

And; Good luck, dealing with them all! Or any single one.

Björn

PS. I have given most of them a try, with little luck, or with no progress at all. Hopefully someone else will turn out luckier (or simply more clever)!

All other unexplained names, for example, the ones coined by Rafinesque, are not included in the summary above ... (which I think we should be nothing but grateful for, most of them are really tricky to verify/understand/solve) ... believe me I´ve tried, also on quite a few of those.

PPS. James, did I miss any (of the "45 unresolved eponyms, and 82 epithets of undiscovered etymology", mentioned in post #304). If so, don't hesitate to remind me (and all of us).
--

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Summary update (ver.2.0)

And here's a slim, concise version (with links to every OD); an easier list for anyone who doesn't feel like joining the (somewhat tedious) flipchart game of the preceding post (#382), finding the ODs, searching its references, scrolling, clicking, back and forth ...

None of the following scientific names have been dealt with (in any way, at least not what we've seen, in the open), neither in this thread, nor in any other earlier threads here on BirdForum:

Unexplained eponyms

• Bathilda as in the generic name "Bathilda" REICHENBACH 1862 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Probably after ..."]

• birchalli as in "Catharus birchalli" SEEBOHM 1881 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Eponym ... Wynne 1969, cautiously suggests ..."]

elizae X 2
• "Cryptospiza elizæ" ALEXANDER 1903 (OD here)
• "Estrilda elizæ" (a few pages later; here)
... which I would think commemorates an Eliza possibly found in the closest circle around Boyd Alexander (see similar examples, here).
[today's Key; here: "Female eponym; dedicatee not yet identified (X 2)]

• Eulidia as in the generic name "Eulidia" MULSANT 1877 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Etymology undiscovered ..."]

• evangelinae as in "Neochima evangelinae" d’ALBERTIS & SALVADORI 1879 (OD here, in text, bottom page, alt. in Journal für Ornithologie, same year, here; though as "Neochima phaeton evangelinae"
[today's Key; here: "Female eponym; dedicatee not yet identified; ..."]

• georginae as in "Trochilus georginæ" BOURCIER 1847 (OD here, or here)
[today's Key; here: "Female eponym: dedicatee not yet identified; ..."]

• hauseri as in "Pyrrhula hauseri" KLEINSCHMIDT 1920 (OD here, in text)
[today's Key; here; "Eponym ... ; doubtless after the Hauser family ..."]

• manueli as in "Pternistis afer manueli" C. M. N. WHITE 1945 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Eponym; dedicatee not yet identified; ..."]

• margarithae as in "Chalcophaps margarithae" SALVADORI & d'ALBERTIS 1875 (OD here) ... possibly named after some Lady, equally "cospicua e bellissima" (conspicuous and beautiful) ... ?
[today's Key; here: "Female eponym; dedicatee not yet identified; ..."]


Other unexplained epithets

• acoli as in "Falco acoli" F. M. DAUDIN 1800 (OD here), ex Levaillant's L'Acoli, 1798 (here, with Plate on the following page, here)
[today's Key; here: "Probably a French homophone ..."]

• akool as in "Rallus Akool" W. H. SYKES 1832 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Probably a Hindi autochthonym, but perhaps ..."]

• Anerpous as in the generic name "Anerpous" TEMMINCK 1821 (OD here, see foot-note: "Nouveau genre composé de trois espèces inédites")
[today's Key; here (now with an explanation, but still lacking its synonym)]

• angelica as in "Leptotila fulviventris angelica" BANGS & PENARD 1922 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Perhaps an eponym, or ..."]

• argoondah as in "Coturnix Argoondah" W. H. SYKES 1832 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Probably an autochthonym ..."]

• benulasa as in (most likely) "Perdix benulasa", a k a "Francolinus Benulasa")
[today's Key; here: "Etymology undiscovered; ... reference and citation not yet verified ...]

If not found in "Valenciennes 1825", i.e. Dictionnaire des sciences naturelles, ... (if so possibly coined by Lesson?), could Blyth's mentioned "Perdix benulasa Val." (in text, here, from 1846), possibly be a reference to an even earlier (pre-linnaean, pre-1758) work, either by M. B. Valentini (1704, alt. 1719), or F. Valentyn (1724), or A. Vallisnieri (1726, alt. 1733), or F. Valentijn (1754), or? Either way it ought to be a (senior?) synonym of Jerdon's "Francolinus hardwickii" (1847), which I think was the first description of a female specimen of the latter "species"/taxon.

• burvedii as in "M. [Malaconotus] Burvedii" BLYTH 1843 (OD here, in text)
[today's Key; here: "This epithet has an eponymic form, but could be an autochthonym (although ..."]

• cherina as in "Drymoica cherina" SMITH 1843 (OD here, and Plate, here, fig. 2)
[today's Key; here: "Etymology undiscovered; ..."]

• codea as in "Alauda codea" A. SMITH 1843 (OD here, and Plate here, fig.1, as "Alanda [sic] codea")
[today's Key; here: "Etymology undiscovered; perhaps ..."]

• culequita as in "Troglodytes brunneicollis culequita" VAN ROSSEM 1938 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Probably a local Mexican name ..."]

• harlic as in "Pr. [Procellaria] harlic" VOIGT 1831 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Etymology undiscovered; perhaps ..."]

• kuru as in "Picnonotus (Kuhl.) ..., kuru, ..." (only listed by) LESSON 1839 (here)
[today's Key; here: "Probably autochthonym ..."]

• licua as in "Strix Licua" LICHTENSTEIN 1842 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Original orthography indicates ..."]

• Maridus as in the generic name "Maridus" C. T. WOOD 1837 (OD here and/alt. here)
[today's Key; here: "Perhaps from the classics, but more probably ..."]

• musae as in "Oriolus Musae", FORSTER 1844 (OD here, pp.163–164, No.146)
[today's Key; here: "Based on a drawing entitled “Oriolus Musa” by ...]

• neera as in "O. [Ornysmia] neera" LESSON 1839 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Etymology undiscovered; perhaps ..."]

• Osalia as in the "S-.g." (sub-genus?) "Osalia" MULSANT, J. VERREAUX & E. VERREAUX 1866 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Etymology undiscovered; ... may refer to ..."]

• Polachio as in the generic name "Polachio" (only listed) by MERREM? 1821 [OD here, on p.266 (not on p.267, as indicated by the Richmond card), see second column, after: "Atzel, ... Polachio cajannensis, ..." ].
[today's Key; here: "Doubtless influenced by ...]

• pyca as in "B. [Bessethera] pyca" (only listed by) CABANIS 1850 (here), ex "Myiothera pyca Boie Temm. in litt." alt./or as "[Turdirostris] Myiothera pyca" (ditto listed, by) BONAPARTE 1850 (here), same reference; "Boie". Also see this text by Büttikofer (1895)
[today's Key; here: "Probably from ..."]

• sala as in "Alauda sala" SWINHOE 1870 (OD here, in text)
[today's Key; here: "Etymology undiscovered; perhaps ..."]

• sephaena as in "Perdix Sephaena" A. SMITH 1836 (OD here).
[today's Key; here: "Undoubtedly a Tswana name ... "]

• Siolia as in the generic name "Siolia" (only listed by) J. BROOKES 1828 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "(syn. ?) Either a lapsus for or corruption of ..."]

• tiphia as in [Motacilla] Tiphia" LINNAEUS 1758 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Sykes 1832, uses the spelling typhia, as if from a Bengali name ..."]

• urica as in "Merops Urica" HORSFIELD 1822 (OD here), where the Latin word "uropygioque" appears (to me, without knowing the meaning of it, it's somewhat similar, at least it shares the first letters ). Also see William Swainson's (earlier!?) entry for "MEROPS urica. Javanese Bee-eater", in Zoological illustrations (from "1820-1"), (here, and Plate here), if of any help? And note that "uropygioque" is also mentioned in that one (in reference to its rump?). To do with uric, urine?!? If nothing else, that word is at least somewhat similar to its local name Pirik (according to Horsfield).
[today's Key; here: "Etymology undiscovered; perhaps from the local name Pirik on Java."]

• velia as in [Motacilla] Velia" LINNAEUS 1758 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Etymology undiscovered; perhaps ...]

Take your pick ... and go for it!

And: Good luck & Happy New Year!

/B
--

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Rafinesque

James, now that I mentioned Mr Rafinesque (in the PS. of post #382), why not, maybe he (and his many names) also deserves an attempt? The assiduous BirdForum team might very well be able to find some odd bits and pieces, maybe making it possible to solve, if nothing else at least one, or maybe two, (also) of Monsieur Rafinesque's oddities!? If so, please post it in a brand new thread, simply to keep things apart. This thread is already brimful ... hard to grasp.

Or should we, simply leave all the names coined by Rafinesque, like Asa Gray wrote it (in 1841), as a; “... curious mass of nonsense” (according to here).

Better not disturb the peace!?

Well, that's it! No more posts this year, not on my behalf.

See you all next year!

/B

 

[mb1848]

lyardi as in "Crypturornis soui lyardi" MIRANDA-RIBEIRO1938
Edgar Leopold Layard had posts in Brazil, where he collected birds for Arthur Hay (1824–1878). Marquess of Tweedale. Todd stated "A few months later birds from this region were described by Miranda-
Ribeiro (1938, 767) under the name Crypturornis soui lyardi ( layardi ?). "

 

[mb1848]

• birchalli as in "Catharus birchalli" SEEBOHM 1881 (OD here)
[today's Key; here: "Eponym ... Wynne 1969, cautiously suggests ..."] businessman Edwin Birchall. Edwin's brother Henry Birchall collected plants and butterflys in New Grenada, Bogata. Edwin and Henry were published in the Zoologist.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

lyardi

lyardi as in "Crypturornis soui lyardi" MIRANDA-RIBEIRO1938
Edgar Leopold Layard had posts in Brazil, where he collected birds for Arthur Hay (1824–1878). Marquess of Tweedale. Todd stated "A few months later birds from this region were described by Miranda-
Ribeiro (1938, 767) under the name Crypturornis soui lyardi ( layardi ?). "

Link to the quote above, here, lyardi mentioned twice (on both p.14 and p.15).

Indicating that Miranda-Ribeiro simply made a typo ... !?

/B

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

lyardi

I had yet another look at ...

• Crypturornis soui lyardi, nob. MIRANDA-RIBEIRO 1938 (Revista do Museu Paulista, XXIII, pp.767-769)

See attached excerpts, and the Reference "(142) Nov. Zool. vol. XIII, n.o 2 — 1906)", which takes us back to Hellmayr's Paper Notes on a second collection of Birds from the District of Parà, Brazil, and the "Crypturus soui (Herm.) subsp." (here) , where we find "Crypturus pileatus" by Layard in the list of synonyms!

... which, in its turn, leads us to The Ibis (1873, p.396), here, where we find the latter bird/name, in the Paper Notes on Birds observed at Para, by Mr. E. L. Layard (and Sclater). Note that the same paper (starting on p.373) incl. for example, the OD of "Picolaptes layardi" (on p.386).

All in all indicating that Miranda-Ribeiro (did made a typo and) aimed the lyardi bird for Edgar Leopold Layard (1824–1900).

Mr Layard (according to his Obituary, here) spent some years of Consular Service, at Pará (at the mouth of the Amazon), before he went onwards, to places like Fiji, Noumea, New Caledonia (where he made even greater marks in Natural History) ...

In this case it seems like The Eponym Dictionary of Birds (here), by Beolens et al. (2014), truly was "almost certainly" correct.

Björn
-

 

[mb1848]

Good job Björn on lyardi as Mr. Jobling in his Key accepts it was named for Layard. I found an obituary for Edwin Birchall from birchalli. Page 23 of The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine, Volume 21.
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/36504#page/53/mode/1up . Died age 65 in 1884. The bird was from Bogata according to OD and so was the brother Henry.

 

[Taphrospilus]

Eulidia

Just a guess could Eulidia be of same origin as Eolidia Curvier 1817? I have no clue why Curvier used this name. Maybe Les Éolides 1875/1876 gives a clue? Mulsant puplished Eulidia sp. Mulsant, 1877. Or maybe from Aeolus at least in German language was from the family tree of the Äoliden?

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Birchall's Thrush-Robin a k a Birchall's Nightingale Thrush

Well done Mark, Henry Birchall seems to be (or at least he certainly could be) "our guy"! :t:

After yet another try I've got the following regarding:

• birchalli as in "Catharus birchalli" SEEBOHM 1881 (OD here) ... no dedication, nor any explanation. Nothing more than:

"Birchall's Trush-Robin has been received from Bogotá and ..."

Today's Key:

birchalli
Eponym (Seebohm 1881, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., V, 289: "Birchall's Thrush-Robin"). Wynne 1969, cautiously suggests British businessman Edwin Birchall (1819-1884) (subsp. Catharus aurantiirostris).

Henry Birchall was a collector (mostly of Insects), located in Bogotá, from at least in the late 1850's (i.e. 1859) well into the mid- and late 1860's, [he was also the (younger?) brother of the businessman (and also an entomologist) Edwin Birchall (1819–1884)*]

For example, see here; pp. 21, 39, 56. Also see here (bottom p.293, where Henry apparently also were collecting spiders)

Who this Henry Birchall was? More than that? I haven't got a clue. Not this far. I will look into it a bit deeper, onwards, today.

This far I have no idea of why Wynne (even if cautiously) suggested Edwin Birchall, but I think he was on the right track (in the proper Family) ...

Disclaimer: In Henry Seebohm's Coloured figures of the eggs of British birds : with descriptive notices (1896), we find an Edward Birchall In the List of Subscribers (here, on p.280). Who the latter Birchall was I cannot tell; more than he, "Edward Birchall", seems to have lived at Moorland Road, in Leeds, that he was a member of the Yorkshire Naturalist's Union, and that he apparently died on the 16th of April, 1903? (here), nor do I know if he's relevant, or not. Probably not. To me, he could have been (nothing but) a local, entomologist (possibly with a wider interest in Natural History), sharing the same Surname, most likely a (distant?) relative?

I guess we need to find a Mr. Birchall, who presumably went to Venezuela, or Colombia? Or who had a connection to either one of those places ...

Hellmayr's, Catalogue of Birds of the Americas (1934), and Birchall's Nightingale Thrush (here).

To be continued ...

/B

PS. NHM's Bird Type specimens Database, for "Catharus birchalli" (here):

[...]
Type: Syntype
Location: Adult Male.
Registration No: 1881.2.24.3.
Location: Oronoco Valley, mountains of north-east Venezuela (restricted to inland of Cumaná by Hellmayr, Catalogue of Birds of the Americas, 7 (1934) : 474).
"Collector: Probably collected by Birchall, and received in exchange with H. Seebohm."
[...]

______________________________
*Death notice of his brother Edwin Birchall (here).
Apparently "a native of Leeds". I've also seen him
listed as "Edwin Birchall Jr."

If of any help?

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Birchall's Thrush-Robin a k a Birchall's Nightingale Thrush ... Part II

Now I do think we're truly looking for "Henry Birchall", born in Leeds 18th December 1821 (here, p.182, No. 3F) ... who seems to have ended up in Bogota, but if its him, for sure, I cannot tell (not 100%). Though; note that he had an older brother by the name Edwin, born in Leeds 1819 (and died in 1884) [No. 2F, bottom page 181]. It ought to be him (them*), there cannot be too many Birchalls from Leeds, by the same given names, one of them ending up in Bogotá, can there?

If so, it looks like Henry was still alive in 1890 (when this Pedigree-book was published) ... at least as far as the Author knew.

Also see this link (from 1865), clearly linking the two brothers (and/with "Bogotà"). Or this one (from 1840-41).

The only thing that (somewhat) disturbs me is that we have to consider a certain "Birchall, Ivan", that apparently collected (ethnological and anthropological items) in South America, mentioned in some notes, here and there. But I think he simply is yet another Birchall.

To me, this far (without a clear dedication, nor any other dead-certain evidence) it looks like the birchalli ssp./bird does commemorate either Henry Birchall (born 1821), or/alt. his older brother Edwin Birchall (1819–1884), who could have received it (and forwarded it to Seebohm), but most likely the former.

Note: No close connection, or direct link, found between Henry Birchall and Henry Seebohm, nor with Edwin Birchall (or any other specified Mr Birchall).

At least, if nothing else, I think it all starts to look like a pretty strong circumstantial case for Henry ....

We'll see ...

Björn

PS. Either way; he (or they) are not to be confused with the British Artist (Water colourist) Henry Birchall (1869–1909), nor with his fellow countryman and colleague William Minshall Birchall, marine (boat, ship) painter (the latter born in 1884).

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
*Note; that there's also a certain: "Edward Birchall, of Inglemoor, Leeds, born at Leeds 26th July, 1837" [in the same Pedigree... book, top of p.181, second No. (4)]

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Eulidia

Just a guess could Eulidia be of same origin as Eolidia Curvier 1817? I have no clue why Curvier used this name. Maybe Les Éolides 1875/1876 gives a clue? Mulsant puplished Eulidia sp. Mulsant, 1877. Or maybe from Aeolus at least in German language was from the family tree of the Äoliden?

To me, without looking into this case in detail (Wiki's explanation) "quick-moving, nimble" seems like a fitting epithet for any Woodstar Hummingbird alt. (most) of the Trochilidae.

But if it truly was/is? I haven't got a clue.

/B

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Señor Birchall ... assistance in Spanish needed

(Continuation of Mark's #386 and 389, as well as my own: 391 and 392)

If Mr Birchall stayed on in South America (either in Columbia or Venezuela, most likely the former) it might be worth looking for an Enrique Birchall (as Enrique, or Henrique, is the Spanish equivalent of Henry), and that he might/could have altered his name into, or became known as, such. Could it possibly be this guy, here (all in Spanish)? Or (ditto); here, here, here, here, here, or here. Or is this a completely different Señor Birchall?

To me, whitout understanding Spanish, it looks like it could be the same guy (if so he's possibly involved in Mining). Also see here (p.106, left column), in connection to "Las minas de 'Frias'". And note that the short text (in post #391) about "Spiders in New Grenada" were signed "Henry Birchall; Frias Mines, February 17, 1869."

Other Spanish pages, that might (?) be worth a look is this one, from 1881 (p.9189, right two columns), and this one (p.9326, second Column), as well as this one (p.LIV).

Anyone who understands Spanish feel like explaining, if this is (or could be) the same guy?

Or am I simply sniffing, barking up the wrong tree?

For English readers; Henry Birchall, still going strong, in August 1878; here [bottom p.16 (in text No. 9 and 10) and on p.17 (No. 15)].

/B

PS. Also compare with this text (in English)
-

 

[janvanderbrugge]

Eulidia desconocida en Chile . . .

In the search for texts containing Eulidia or Eulidie I found this contribution to our fascinating activities:
Epónimos en los nombres científicos de aves: un patrimonio histórico-cultural de la ornitología chilena - Eponyms in the scientific names of birds: a historical-cultural heritage of Chilean ornithology, written by Consuelo Valdés Chadwick of the Unión de Ornitólogos de Chile, in Revista Chilena de Ornitología, 22 (1), 2016, pp.7-18. Consuelo (Spanish feminine eponym, means: consolation) gives no explanation for the generic name Eulidia, but in my opinion this article surely has valuable information.

I present and translated the text about the feminine eponyms in bird names (p.12):

Muchos autores sostienen que los nombres científicos de picaflores y mariposas expresan admiración por su
belleza, formas y/o colores, atributos asociados al género femenino, como también se inspiran en joyas y hadas (Mouchard 2013). De hecho, una revisión reciente (Fogden et al. 2014) de los nombres científicos de las 338 especies de picaflores determinó que existe una tendencia de los descriptores a asignarles nombres propios femeninos (e.g. Elvira chionura, Juliamyia julie, Discosura letitiae, Eriocnemis isabellae, Doricha eliza, Metallura theresiae, etc.). En el caso del picaflor de la puna (Oreotrochilus estella), Estelle Marie d’Orbigny (1801–1893) era la hermana mayor de uno de los descriptores de la especie, Alcide Dessalines d’Orbigny, por lo que se supone que ella pudo haberlo inspirado. Con respecto al picaflor de Arica (Eulidia yarrellii), el descriptor de la especie (Jules Bourcier 1847), fue cónsul francés en Ecuador, colector y naturalista especializado en picaflores, y nombró varias especies franciae en honor a su hija Francia; podría entonces tratarse de la dedicación a otra persona de su entorno de nombre femenino francés Eulidie. Por tanto, en el caso de estos dos Apodiformes no se dispone, por ahora, de información concluyente pues la existente es inverificable.

Many authors venture the idea that the scientific names of hummingbirds and butterflies express admiration for their beauty, outfits and/or colours, which attributes are associated with the female gender, while they are inspired as well by jewels and fairies (Mouchard 2013). A recent revision (Fogden et al., 2014) of the scientific names of the 338 hummingbird species indicated that there is a tendency among describers to give them the names of women. In the case of the Picaflor de la Puna (Oreotrochilus estella), Estelle Marie d'Orbigny (1801-1893) was the major sister of one of its describers, Alcide Dessalines d'Orbigny, and therefore she is supposed to possibly have him inspirated. With regard to the Picaflor de Arica (Eulidia yarrellii), the describer of the species (Jules Bourcier 1847), French consul in Ecuador, collector and naturalist specialized in hummingbirds, named several species "franciae" in honour of his daughter Francia; so their could be a dedication to another person in his circles of the French female name Eulidie. However, in the case of these two Apodiformes, there is, for now, no decisive information available, so this approach cannot be verified.

(There was also a remark, elsewhere in the article, that the name Eulidia was not given by Bourcier, of course)
I have some hope that the Eulidia hummingbird has been mentioned somewhere in a text by Cabanis (who as a purist had a strong push to explaining and also rejecting certain scientific names), but that could only be in sources after 1877, so I will explore issues of Journal für Ornithology, and maybe French or English magazines. My books on Hummingbirds did not produce any help in this respect.
Regards, keep humming,
Jan van der Brugge

 

[Taphrospilus]

To me, without looking into this case in detail (Wiki's explanation) "quick-moving, nimble" seems like a fitting epithet for any Woodstar Hummingbird alt. (most) of the Trochilidae.

But if it truly was/is? I haven't got a clue.

/B

Sorry I didn't get it. What do you mean with Wiki's explanation?

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Sorry I didn't get it. What do you mean with Wiki's explanation?

Your third link (your line of thought, "Or maybe from Aeolus ..."): "In Greek mythology, Aeolus[1] (/iːˈoʊləs/; Ancient Greek: Αἴολος, Aiolos [a͜ɪ́olos], Modern Greek: [ˈe.o.los] (About this soundlisten) means "quick-moving, nimble") ..."

How you connected Aeolus to Eulidia? That's up to you to explain. I didn't get that part.

/B

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)? Surely Valdés Chadwick couldn't mean "Hirundo francica" (today's Mascarene Swiftlet Aerodramus francicus)? That name was coined by Gmelin in 1789 (when Jules Bourcier himself was just a toddler).

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) ... ?
--

 

[l_raty]

so their could be a dedication to another person in his circles of the French female name Eulidie.

"Eulidie" isn't exactly a standard French female name either, though.

(It would probably have to be either an unusual variant spelling of "Lydia" with an unusual Eu- prefix added to it, or an unusual corruption of Élodie...? It's not a name that you will find listed on any French given name websites; it has apparently been used, but very rarely at best -- the grand total number of persons with that name that I can trace on genealogical websites can be counted on two hands.)

 

[Taphrospilus]

Your third link (your line of thought, "Or maybe from Aeolus ..."): "In Greek mythology, Aeolus[1] (/iːˈoʊləs/; Ancient Greek: Αἴολος, Aiolos [a͜ɪ́olos], Modern Greek: [ˈe.o.los] (About this soundlisten) means "quick-moving, nimble") ..."

How you connected Aeolus to Eulidia? That's up to you to explain. I didn't get that part.

Eulidia => Eolidia => Äoliden (descendants of Aeolus)

But I know I might be on the wrong path. But all sounds similar for my German ear.

I doubt as well on Bourcier theorie and Eulidia. Bourcier decribed the hummer as Trochilus Yarrellii and even if Mulsant knew Bourcier I would not make this link. Even if Francia Bourcier was really a daughter of him can be questioned. It is possible but no 100% evidence that Bourcier have had a daughter with this name or if this was another relative of Bourcier.

 

[janvanderbrugge]

Well, the value of the Eulidia genus is certainly something which keeps us alert. I just now have read the text in Mulsant & Verreaux, Hist.Nat.Oiseaux-mouches, 4, p.114-115, on "Les Eulidiaires", again. This term seems to imply that the species deserves some special place in the hummingbirds, but the authors do no indicate expressly why they created a new generic name for it. I do not believe in Aeolian descendants, Martin, and in my view (or hearing) the terms do not have the same sound at all. For me some doubt has risen now about Eulidia as a person's name (Eulidia or Eulidie), not only because it was so difficult to find (see also Laurent's remarks about Eulidie in French genealogy), but also because of the negligent treatment of names in Mulsant & Verreaux. The generic name Acestura is repeated in the book, but the correct version is Acestrura. Just an example, but how about the reliability of Eulidia, if there is no hint as to where this name came from? Mulsant gives a detailed description of the tail, with accent on the special shape of the outer rectrices of the male, so I wondered if there could be a link there with the term Eulidia (the element -idio- could indicate a diminutive, however, apparently there is no Greek "eulis"), but it leads nowhere so far. I look forward to reading more of fantasy ideas. Keep humming, it is not as bad as Mathews's list, which has far outnumbered this single case.
As Björn wrote already, from Chile we cannot expect any substantial support for it. Ay, qué lástima . . .
Un saludo cordial, Jan van der Brugge