Mennell's Seedeater (Serinus) Crithagra mennelli (1 Viewer)

On yet another small side-track, inspired by the recent discussion in the Bird Taxonomy and Nomenclature Forum, thread Fringillidae (post #80-91, starting here), regarding the need (or not) for a name change (of the English Common name, in relation to its Generic name) of the São Tomé Grosbeak vs São Tomé Giant Seedeater (or otherwise) I had a quick look at some related Seedeaters, Canaries alt. Serins connected to Crithagra and suddenly happened to stumble upon some possible, at least plausible, additional info ... not of the São Tomé species (in Swedish stenknäcksiska, meaning; Grosbeak Siskin), but regarding the eponym ...

mennelli as in:
• Black-eared Seedeater (Serinus) Crithagra mennelli CHUBB 1908 (here) as "Poliospiza mennelli" a k a Blackeared Canary, Black-eared Serin alt. Mennell's Seedeater ... either way; no dedication, nor any explanation.

Thereby, simply trusting, following what´s given in the entry in today's HBW Alive Key:

mennelli
Frederic Philip Mennell (b. 1880) British mineralogist, Curator of Bulawayo Mus., Southern Rhodesia (= Zimbabwe) (Crithagra).

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... ending up with the British (alt. Australian or Australian-born) geologist and archaeologist Frederic Philip Mennell (1880–1966).

Apparently born in "Victoria" (the State?), in Australia, in 1880 (however; no dates, no location found), ... educated at University College, London, and in Bruxelles, Belgium. In November 1901 he arrived in Southern Rhodesia (today's Zimbabwe) to become the first curator of the newly established Rhodesia Museum (later National Museum) in Bulawayo ... and so on ... and he died 17 April 1966, in the same Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

If he was more of an "mineralogist" than a "geologist" is (in English terms) far beyond my scope. Maybe only a question of semantics?

Lots of more info on this guy is found; here, and note the Zimbabwe Death notice at the bottom of page. Also directly connected to Chubb, for example, here.

Anyone think otherwise?

Mr. Mennell is thereby also the guy involved in the invalid generic name "Menellia" ROBERTS 1922, here, later "Mennellia" ROBERTS 1923 [both synonyms of Crithagra SWAINSON 1827].

However, enjoy!

Björn
::

The Eponym Dictionary of Birds claims:

Mennell's Seedeater Serinus mennelli Chubb, 1908 [Alt. Black-eared Seedeater; Syn. Crithagra mennelli]
Frederic Philip Mennell (b. 1880) was a British geologist and mineralogist. He was recruited as a Curator of the Bulawayo Museum in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) (1905) in order to establish a Departement of Mineralogy there. He had an interest in an iron mine in the sabi Valley where he also noted asbestos deposits. He wrote Timbabwe Ruins (1903).

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As well an obituary:

Frederick Philip Mennell, F.G.S., M.I.M.M. [Feb. 1880 - April 18, 1966]. Proceedings and Transactions of the Rhodesia Scientific Association., 51, 14—16.