Invitation to a Family Party with Boyd Alexander! (1 Viewer)

[Björn Bergenholtz]

In searching for (and digging myself deeper into) the name of Ursula's Sunbird (Haplocinnyris/Nectarinia) Cinnyris ursulae ALEXANDER 1903 … I suddenly found myself stumbling into a whole family (this time not of Birds!) … with several commemorations of a (most Human) family!

The article where the type description of this Sunbird is found in: Alexander, B. 1903. … a series of specimens of birds discovered by him on his recent expedition to the island of Fernando Po, … Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 13: 33-38. … and in this article dear old Boyd Alexander suddenly creates a whole Family reunion!

"Proclaimer": There is no "out-spoken", explicit dedications, none whatsoever, in that article, of whom his/those different scientific names commemorate, but the names fit the ones of his own Family members so well, too well, making any other explanation too much of a coincidence! I thereby feel pretty safe when I claim:

● ”Heterotrogon francisci” [today a highly questioned "sub-species" or form; "Apaloderma vittatum 'francisci'” (Synonymous with the as debated "Heterotrogon vittatus francisci")], is named after his dear old Father (and namesake): Boyd Francis Alexander (xxxx–xxxx)

● ”Urolais mariæ” [today the sub-species Urolais epichlorus mariae], is named after his dear mother: Mary Alexander (xxxx–xxxx).

● ”Callene roberti” [today African Flycatcher-chat Cossyphicula roberti a k a "White-bellied Robin-Chat"], is named after his twin brother; Major Robert Alexander (1873–1928)

● ”Cryptolopha herberti” [today Black-capped Woodland-warbler (Seicercus) Phylloscopus herberti a k a "Herbert's Leaf Warbler", "Herbert's Woodland Warbler" or just "Herbert's Warbler"], is named after his younger brother, artists and author: Herbert Alexander (1874–1946)

● ”Lioptilus claudei” [today the hard-to-place sub-species (Alcippe/Illadopsis/Sylvia) Pseudoalcippe abyssinica claudei], is named after his other brother: Claude Alexander (xxxx–xxxx)´

● ”Merops marionis” [today synonymous of Swallow-tailed Bee-eater Merops hirundineus LICHTENSTEIN 1793], is named after his sister: Marion (xxxx–xxxx)

● ”Poliolais helenoræ” [today synonymous, with (his own!?): White-tailed Warbler Poliolais lopezi ALEXANDER 1903(!?)], is named after his other sister: Helenor (xxxx–xxxx)

That’s Boyd Alexander's whole family!

And finally, after having run out on siblings, it wasn´t more than appropriate that also his little niece got a bird of her own:
● ”Cyanomitra ursulae” [today Ursula's Sunbird (Haplocinnyris/Nectarinia) Cinnyris ursulae a k a "Ursula’s Mouse-coloured Sunbird "], named after his niece, the pretty little daughter of one of his sisters: Ursula Davies (xxxx–xxxx), just a kid at the time.

That´s what I call taking care of your next-of-kin!

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PS. The British ornithologist, explorer and collector himself hasn´t been left without any share either, Captain Boyd Francis Alexander (1873–1910), is commemorated in for example:
● Greater Cape Verde Kestrel Falco (tinnunculus) alexandri BOURNE 1955 a k a "Alexander's Kestrel"
● Boyd's Shearwater Puffinus (assimlis/lherminieri) boydi MATHEWS 1913
● … as well as quite a few other less debated sub-species, like; Nigrita luteifrons alexanderi OGILVIE-GRANT 1907

 

[Taphrospilus]

● ”Cyanomitra ursulae” [today Ursula's Sunbird (Haplocinnyris/Nectarinia) Cinnyris ursulae a k a "Ursula’s Mouse-coloured Sunbird "], named after his niece, the pretty little daughter of one of his sisters: Ursula Davies (xxxx–xxxx), just a kid at the time.

OD here

The Eponym Dictionary of Birds claims:

Ursula's Sunbird Cinnyris ursulae B. Alexander, 1903
Ursula Davies (DNF) was the niece of the describer, Boyd Alexander (q.v.).

The Key to Scientific Names

Ursula Davies (fl. 1903) neice of British explorer Capt. Boyd Alexander (Cinnyris).

Maybe it is time to explore the life dates of all this family member? Maybe here more on the family?

At least the father may died 1917 and the mother 1905 here.

...Boyd Francis Alexander, late Rifle Brigade, of Swifts Place, who d. 1917, by Mary, who d. 1905, dau. of the late David Wilson, Esq.; b. 1873;...

It seems him here Boyd Francis Alexander (1834-1917)

 

[PScofield]

Boyd Francis Alexander Snr
1834–1917 he supposedly died in France during WW1 at the age of 83!

Mary Alexander nee Wilson

Father:	David Wilson
Mother:	Mary Maudy
Birth:	1843 Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Death:	30 Jul 1905 Cranbrook, Kent, England

Sister of Snr Helenora Margaret Angela Alexander(1837–1865)​

Daughter of Snr Marion Alexander(1866-​

Daughter of Snr Helenor Alexander(1870–1898)​

Son of Snr Claud Alexander(1878–1904)​

Ursula was Marion's daughter.

Name:	Ursula Mary Davis
Baptism Date:	2 May 1900
Baptism Place:	Claverton, Somerset, England

Death Apr 1977 Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England. Never married.

 

[Taphrospilus]

Is Ursula Mary Davis her maiden name or was she married? Might lead us to the name of Marion Alexander after marriage.

 

[l_raty]

He published this taxon twice, first in Bull. Brit. Ornithol. Cl. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37116722, as a quick publication, merely with a short Latin diagnosis, then in Ibis https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16177679, with a longer text in English.

In the second text, he explicitly dedicated the species to "the author's niece, Miss Ursula Davis" (note -is, not -ies).

As she was a "Miss", Davis was her maiden name. If born in 1900, she was three at this time. But if (assuming I understand Paul's post correctly) she was Marion's daughter, and Marion was Boyd's daughter, then she was his grand-daughter, not his niece... Things ain't yet fully clear to me.

 

[PScofield]

Sorry the relationships here are the sister and sons and daughters of Boyd Alexander Snr so Ursula is Boyd Alexander Jnrs niece.

He obviously didn't like his brother David!

 

[Taphrospilus]

In this case Marion Davis née Alexander (1866-????)

 

[l_raty]

The Weald - People history and genealogy

theweald.org

There are people called Boyd all over the place in this family, it's hard to find your way.

Yes, that would then be Marion Davis née Alexander - after whom Merops marionis was named.
(The above tree says b. 1867, not 1866. In Quebec.)

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Boyd Alexander's little niece Ursula was just a toddler when this bird was collected (in 1902), and she was (still) just a kid at the time of the OD (in 1903), ... and Miss "Ursula Davis", was (most) certainly not married ... 😉

From Boyd Alexander's last journey –
with a Memoir by Herbert Alexander (1912)

[here]​

 

[l_raty]

Yes, that would then be Marion Davis née Alexander - after whom Merops marionis was named.

Or not...
Just like the sunbird, he published the bee-eater twice:

• Bull. Brit. Ornithol. Cl.: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37116717, as Merops marionis,
• Ibis: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16177732, as Merops marionae.

In Ibis, he called her "Miss Marion Alexander". This suggests she may never have married the father.

 

[PScofield]

Marion Alexander married John Roland Davis on 15 November 1898 she was born on 8 Dec 1866 and baptised 16 March 1867 - hence the confusion. No idea why he used her maiden name in the dedication.

 

[l_raty]

OK. Perhaps he just wanted to make their family relationship explicit...
No other Marion among his close relatives, I presume ?
(This suggests we should be careful about accepting "Miss" as indicating an unmarried woman in dedications, in any case.)

 

[Taphrospilus]

Is it possible to find her death in context with John Roland Davis (xxxx–xxxx)?

 

[l_raty]

Quite likely:

Him: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/222796641/john-roland-davis
Her: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/222796642/marion-davis

(Side by side in the same cemetery. She's noted as born in Canada (which she was), in 1867 (which is not correct but is a date we've seen associated to her elsewhere).)

d. 10 Mar 1937.

 

[l_raty]

PS. The British ornithologist, explorer and collector himself hasn´t been left without any share either, Captain Boyd Francis Alexander (1873–1910), is commemorated in for example:

Was he (the ornithologist) actually named "Boyd Francis" ? His father certainly was, but I find him in most places simply as "Boyd" (which was also the name of his grandfather, as well as, apparently, of a son of his twin brother Robert).

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyd_Alexander
Hart's Annual Army Lists -- e.g., 1902: https://archive.org/details/hartsannualarmy1902lond/page/431/mode/1up?q=boyd

In some places, I see things suggesting possible confusion. E.g., https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74130781/boyd-francis-alexander : here the website calls him indeed "Lieut Boyd Francis Alexander"; but on the commemorative plate that we are shown, we get:

TO THE MEMORY OF LIEUTENANT
COLONEL BOYD FRANCIS ALEXANDER
RIFLE BRIGADE OF SWIFTS PLACE
CRANBROOK KENT WHO DIED 19 AUGUST 1917
ALSO OF HIS SON BOYD LIEUTENANT RIFLE
BRIGADE WHO WAS KILLED WHILE EXPLORING
IN CENTRAL AFRICA 3 APRIL 1910

No "Francis" in the son's name. Only in the father's name. Was it omitted ? Or did the website mix the two persons up ?

 

[mb1848]

Very good work by all. The confusion of Marion Davis with Marion Davies is forgivable since the film actress was who Orson Wells based the fictional character Susan Alexander on in Citizen Kane.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Was he (the ornithologist) actually named "Boyd Francis" ? His father certainly was, but I find him in most places simply as "Boyd" (which was also the name of his grandfather, as well as, apparently, of a son of his twin brother Robert).
...

It seems like Paul fairly recently (in November) had a look at the Birth records (here), maybe it could be worth a second/closer look?

And note, in Jobling's Book/Dictionary (Helm, 2010) he was nothing but: "Boyd Alexander"



/B

 

[PScofield]

Yes despite what is on several Ancestry family websites I can find no use of Francis in Boyd Alexander's ("Jnrs") official documents. I can also find no other Marion in the family. Another issue is whether the dedication of Poliolais helenoræ is for the Aunt or this sister?
I would still like to know what a 83-year-old was doing on the battlefields of France

EDIT Oh that's disappointing - I discovered that the idea he died on the battlefield was another error perpetuated by various family websites - he actually died in his bed at home at "The Swifts" in Kent...

 

[l_raty]

Another issue is whether the dedication of Poliolais helenoræ is for the Aunt or this sister?

As for the other names, there was also a double publication:

• Bull. Brit. Ornithol. Cl.: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37116720
• Ibis: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16177705

The first was minimal and presumably just to ensure priority. In the second, in Ibis, he told us:

Named after my late sister Miss Helenor Alexander.

 

[Taphrospilus]

Quite likely:

Him: John Roland Davis (1865-1928) - Find A Grave...
Her: Marion Davis (1867-1937) - Find A Grave Memorial

(Side by side in the same cemetery. She's noted as born in Canada (which she was), in 1867 (which is not correct but is a date we've seen associated to her elsewhere).)

d. 10 Mar 1937.

The Eponym Dictionary of Birds claims:

Bee-eater sp. Merops marionis B. Alexander, 1903 NCR [Alt. Blue-headed Bee-eater; JS Merops muelleri mentalis]
Marion Alexander (DNF) was the sister of British explorer and ornithologist Boyed Alexander (q.v.).