Björn Bergenholtz
(former alias "Calalp")
Let´s take a look at another long-forgotten scientific name … and a ditto bird:
scrymgeouri
● … in the invalid "Psophodes olivaceus scrymgeouri" MATHEWS 1912 a k a "Victorian Coachwhip-Bird"
Today's HBW Alive Key explains it as follows:
The OD (here) has, as the Key tell us, no explanation nor any outspoken explanation whatsoever. The only thing we learn is that it is based on "No. 526 (pars)" [i.e. in parts of Psophodes crepitans] in Mathews's own Handlist of the Birds of Australia 1908 (published as a supplement to the Australian ornithological journal The Emu), here, which in its turn refers to:
• John Gould's Handbook of the Birds of Australia 1865, volume 1, page 312 (here)
• E. P. Ramsay's Tabular List of the Birds of Australia 1888, page. 7 (here)
• Archibald James Campbell's Nests and Eggs of Australian Birds (including the geographical distribution of the species and popular observations thereon) 1900, vol. 1, page 265 (here)
• Alfred North's Nests and Eggs of Birds found Breeding in Australia and Tasmania 1901, &c., vol. 1, page 336 (here)
• Robert Hall's Key to the Birds of Australia (with their geographical distribution) 1906, page 29 (here)
However nothing, none at all, is revealed (in any of those works) of any Mr. Scrymgeour! Not that I could find anyway.
Thereby, onwards … I´m simply speculating!
It could possibly commemorate a certain "James Scrymgeour", who collected bird specimens (and eggs) in down in Victoria in 1909. See links; here, and here (and most likely, the same, here; "J. Scrymgeour", a snake from 1935), which most likely is the same Mr. "J. T. Scrymgeour", member of the Australasian Ornithologists Union the same year.
However, I do not know if he´s equal of the New Zealander (of Scottish Origin), later (from 1908) Australian, and even later quite famous cattle-farmer James "Jim" Tindal Steuart [sic] Scrymgeour (1885–1965), from 1908 (onwards) of Callandoon North, a Sheep and Cattle Station at Goondiwindi, (later Warwick), Queensland. (here)
Curiously, the latter Mr. Scrymgeour (if not the same?!) got quite famous in Australia (after being blind in WW1), apparently still being able to tell the colour of cattle, simply by touching them … !?! Also see this Google snippet view, here.
Though I haven´t been able to find any traces that the latter (the farming) Mr. Scrymgeour was ever collecting natural specimens, had any interest in birds or if he ever went down South, to the State of Victoria. I thereby guess the answer is hidden somewhere (among so many other unexplained names) in the twelve volumes of Mathews's Birds of Australia (1912-1927). That´s as far as I get.
Anyone know, for sure, if he´s "our" guy, or if I´m barking up the wrong tree!?
Björn
PS. Note: There was also a printing company by the name of "Scrymgeour & Sons", in Adelaide, Victoria, (there´s apparently also a Printer in Glasgow, Scotland, by the same name; a "John Scrymgeour"), which certainly not, at least the former, should be excluded. However if he and/or they had any connections to Gregory Mathews I do not know. The only thing I assume we can say is that this scientific name is most likely an eponym, further than that … this far, is in the shades. If there is a place with the same, or similar, name is also unknown to me.
---
scrymgeouri
● … in the invalid "Psophodes olivaceus scrymgeouri" MATHEWS 1912 a k a "Victorian Coachwhip-Bird"
Today's HBW Alive Key explains it as follows:
I think it is most likely an eponym!
The OD (here) has, as the Key tell us, no explanation nor any outspoken explanation whatsoever. The only thing we learn is that it is based on "No. 526 (pars)" [i.e. in parts of Psophodes crepitans] in Mathews's own Handlist of the Birds of Australia 1908 (published as a supplement to the Australian ornithological journal The Emu), here, which in its turn refers to:
• John Gould's Handbook of the Birds of Australia 1865, volume 1, page 312 (here)
• E. P. Ramsay's Tabular List of the Birds of Australia 1888, page. 7 (here)
• Archibald James Campbell's Nests and Eggs of Australian Birds (including the geographical distribution of the species and popular observations thereon) 1900, vol. 1, page 265 (here)
• Alfred North's Nests and Eggs of Birds found Breeding in Australia and Tasmania 1901, &c., vol. 1, page 336 (here)
• Robert Hall's Key to the Birds of Australia (with their geographical distribution) 1906, page 29 (here)
However nothing, none at all, is revealed (in any of those works) of any Mr. Scrymgeour! Not that I could find anyway.
Thereby, onwards … I´m simply speculating!
It could possibly commemorate a certain "James Scrymgeour", who collected bird specimens (and eggs) in down in Victoria in 1909. See links; here, and here (and most likely, the same, here; "J. Scrymgeour", a snake from 1935), which most likely is the same Mr. "J. T. Scrymgeour", member of the Australasian Ornithologists Union the same year.
However, I do not know if he´s equal of the New Zealander (of Scottish Origin), later (from 1908) Australian, and even later quite famous cattle-farmer James "Jim" Tindal Steuart [sic] Scrymgeour (1885–1965), from 1908 (onwards) of Callandoon North, a Sheep and Cattle Station at Goondiwindi, (later Warwick), Queensland. (here)
Curiously, the latter Mr. Scrymgeour (if not the same?!) got quite famous in Australia (after being blind in WW1), apparently still being able to tell the colour of cattle, simply by touching them … !?! Also see this Google snippet view, here.
Though I haven´t been able to find any traces that the latter (the farming) Mr. Scrymgeour was ever collecting natural specimens, had any interest in birds or if he ever went down South, to the State of Victoria. I thereby guess the answer is hidden somewhere (among so many other unexplained names) in the twelve volumes of Mathews's Birds of Australia (1912-1927). That´s as far as I get.
Anyone know, for sure, if he´s "our" guy, or if I´m barking up the wrong tree!?
Björn
PS. Note: There was also a printing company by the name of "Scrymgeour & Sons", in Adelaide, Victoria, (there´s apparently also a Printer in Glasgow, Scotland, by the same name; a "John Scrymgeour"), which certainly not, at least the former, should be excluded. However if he and/or they had any connections to Gregory Mathews I do not know. The only thing I assume we can say is that this scientific name is most likely an eponym, further than that … this far, is in the shades. If there is a place with the same, or similar, name is also unknown to me.
---
Last edited:
