New edition of Biographies for Birdwatchers (2 Viewers)

[Mike Earp]

A revised and expanded edition of Biographies for Birdwatchers: The Lives of Those Commemorated in Western Palearctic Bird Names by Barbara and Richard Mearns should apparently be available just before Easter.

In the thirty years since Biographies for Birdwatchers was published, the Western Palearctic bird list has lengthened. Vagrants and taxonomic revisions have added many new eponymic names to familiar ones such as Montagu’s Harrier, Sabine’s Gull and Steller’s Eider. The expanded geographical range of this edition includes the Arabian Peninsula, Iran and parts of Central Asia, adding great ornithologists such as Christian Pander, Theodor Pleske and Nikolai Zarudny.

Two softback A4 volumes, in slip case:
Vol.1 (396 pp): 163 people who have full species named after them.
Vol 2 (266 pp): 179 people with subspecific eponyms.
Over 250 portraits (30 in colour)
Price £69.99 plus P&P (only available as a set).

Order via Wildside Books: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)1323 416211

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Sure looking forward to it!

Their Books are usually well-written, highly trustworthy and very rich in information!

More about the Mearns couple themselves here (alt. their Books here).

Authors of several Great Books, like (for example) some of the true Classics for us Bird Name nerds/geeks :

• Biographies for Birdwatchers: The Lives of Those Commemorated in Western Palearctic Bird Names. Academic Press, London & San Diego (1988*).
• Audubon to Xántus: The Lives of Those Commemorated in North American Bird Names. Academic Press, London & San Diego (1992)
• The Bird Collectors. Academic Press, London & San Diego. (1998).

... as well as the somewhat lesser known:

• John Kirk Townsend: Collector of Audubon’s Western Birds and Mammals, MearnsBooks (2007), here.

Can't wait for the New one!

⏳​

Björn

---

*Not "1998", as (unfortunately) told on their own home page/site.

 

[Taphrospilus]

And of course papers like The Dupont family: collectors, dealers and naturalists in nineteenth-century Paris.

Their Books are usually well-written, highly trustworthy and very rich in information!

I absolutley agree even if I found one or two small errors in these books e.g. in "The Bird Collectors" is an image of François Victor Masséna which can't be him (think it is his father). But it was taken from Ruthven Deane Collection and was wrongly attributed there. Another example is in Audubon to Xántus where a brother J. G. W. Brandt of Johann Friedrich Brandt was mentioned. But from here I would assume it was the fairly unknown...

Brandt, Joh. Georg Wilh. Naturalienhandl. B. Cto. unt. Hrn. Franz Christ. Gräpel, Neuerwall, Bohnsplatz no 27

Presumably Brandt, Johan(nes) Georg Wilhelm (no life dates)? He was short time member of Société Cuvierienne presented by Auguste Boissonneau. No bird was dedicated to him. I have seen few cases where the specimen delivered by him e.g. here...

A rather small specimen, received from Mr. Brandt of Hamburg as F. caligata from Africa, is only obscurely banded, is peculiar in the tail being black at the tip for about an inch, ....

...or here...

A large well-grown specimen in spirit in the British Museum, received from M. Brandt of Hamburg as from North America.

...or here...

The specimen was sent from Brazil to Mr. Brandt of Hamburg, who transmitted it to the Museum.

...or here...

About the year 1836 it was sold by Brandt, the well-known Hamburg taxidermist , to Baron von Gyllenkrog.

Same here in German:

Dies Exemplar kaufte der Herr von Gyllenkrog vor ungefähr fünfzig Jahren von dem Naturalienhändler Brandt in Hamburg als angeblich auf Fühnen gefangen; wie mir Brandt aber einige Jahre später persönlich mittheilte , war dieses Stück einer der beiden Vögel, welche um jene Zeit, etwa 1836, von Helgoland aus an Brandt gelangten, und deren Gould, ebenfalls auf Angaben Brandt's gestützt, als in der Nähe Hamburgs vorgekommen, in seinen Birds of Europe erwähnt.

He left the society which was discussed here:

I don't think anything happened at this particular moment.
This is a list of all the members that the Society had lost since its creation, presumably more or less in the order according to which they left. (The list seems to represent a series of consecutive, alphabetically ordered sequences.) It seems likely that only the two last names are of members who had just left at this point.

But I know nothing more about this natural history dealer e.g. life dates.

This shouldn't been seen as critics on any of the books but just minor observations which I also discussed with Richard Mearns in the past and he agreed.

 

[mb1848]

Possible life dates?
Johann Georg Wilhelm Brandt (1794-1856) His son (of the same name?) took over the shop after his father died.
https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/Bonner-Zoologische-Beitraege_59_0003-0027.pdf .
Dates from a Stressman JfO article ?
Brief von Johann Georg Wilhelm Brandt an Karl Ernst von Baer .

 

[PScofield]

I thought this document giving Brandts nationality (Danish) was interesting. But then I found that Altona (now in Hamburg) was part of Denmark until 1864. There is the possibility he was related to other famous Danish naturalists of the same surname. The son was Johann Carl August Brandt (1827-1889).

 

[mb1848]

Thanks Paul for the Stressman quote and the son's full name and because of Danish Altona the connection of this Brandt and Helgoland now makes sense. Wikipedia: "Until 1714 ownership switched several times between Denmark-Norway and the Duchy of Schleswig, with one period of control by Hamburg. In August 1714, it was conquered by Denmark-Norway, and it remained Danish until 1807."

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

A pure side-track (for whatever it's worth) ...

The "Baron von Gyllenkrog" mentioned in Martin's quotes (in post #3), in connection to Brandt, the German taxidermist, ought to be: ('Baron') Friherre Axel Gustaf ('Gösta') Gyllenkrok (1783–1865), a Swedish Noble, Philanthropist and Patron (of the Natural Sciences), who had a large collection of Naturalia (mostly Shells and Birds), in French texts a k a "Gustave de Gyllenkrog". Among his Swedish friends, and Family, he was called "Gösta".

Swedish Wikipedia here (English ditto here).

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Back on (the Mearns) track ...

And of course papers like The Dupont family: collectors, dealers and naturalists in nineteenth-century Paris.

...

True Martin, other fairly recent Papers by Richard Mearns (et al.) that we (also) have been dealing with earlier, here on BirdForum, are (for example):

• The identity of Richard of Richard's Pipit (Anthus richardi Vieillot, 1818), by Richard Mearns, Christophe Gouraud & Laurent Chevrier (2015), Archives of Natural History 42 (1): pp. 85-90. [here]
• Charles and Emile Parzudaki: natural history dealers in nineteenth-century Paris, by Christophe Gouraud, Laurent Chevrier and Richard Means (2016), Archives of Natural History 43 (1): pp. 76–89. [here]

I'm pretty sure there are more, but those two were the first that popped up ...

Björn

PS. More Papers by Richard Mearns, including "The Dupont family ..." (above): here. All accessible (in full).

 

[PScofield]

Incidentally, Johann Friedrich Brandt was not the brother of Johann Georg Wilhelm Brandt nor even a close relative.

 

[Taphrospilus]

At that time I contacted Richard I provided him the following family members of Johann Friedrich Brandt:

The father Dr. med. Johann Friedrich Brandt (maybe born 12.01.1770 at Jüterbog) mother Caroline Eleonora né Hentze gave birth to:
1) Brandt, Friedrich August, born 20.03.1801
2) Brandt, Johann Friedrich, Prof. Dr. med., born 25.05.1802
3) Brandt, Carl August, business man, born 15.01.1805
4) Brandt, Caroline Emilie, born 28.03.1807
5) Brandt, Wilhelm Ferdinand, born 15.05.1809
6) Brandt, Henriette Antonia, born 07.04.1811
7) Brandt, Franz Adolph, Bürger, business man, born 08.06.1813
8) Brandt, Theodor Ehrenfried, born 07.12.1815

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Martin, seems like James disagree about the blue, bold part below:

...

Presumably Brandt, Johan(nes) Georg Wilhelm (no life dates)? He was short time member of Société Cuvierienne presented by Auguste Boissonneau. No bird was dedicated to him. ...

But I know nothing more about this natural history dealer e.g. life dates.

...

... ?

Today's Key:

brandti / brandtii
● Johann Friedrich Brandt (1802-1879) Prussian zoologist in the Russian service, explorer in Siberia (subsp. Eremophila alpestris, subsp. Garrulus glandarius, Leucosticte, syn. Phasianus colchicus mongolicus, syn. Poecile palustris kabardensis).
● Johann Georg Wilhelm Brandt (1794-1856) German natural history dealer based in Hamburg (cf. his son J. C. A. Brandt (fl. 1870)) (syn. Ploceus cucullatus spilonotus).

The latter guy was also incl. in the dear Old (now defunct) HBW Alive Key (even if there only) as:

brandti / brandtii
● Johann Friedrich Brandt (1802-1879) Prussian zoologist in the Russian service, explorer in Siberia (Eremophila, subsp. Garrulus glandarius, Leucosticte, syn. Phasianus colchicus mongolicus, syn. Poecile palustris kabardensis).
● J. G. W. Brandt (fl. 1860) German natural history dealer based in Hamburg, ... (syn. Ploceus cucullatus spilonotus).

Or ... what did I miss?

What does the OD say?

Just curious (neither one of those guys are included, not even mentioned, in my MS) ...

/B

 

[mb1848]

What does the OD say?
mitgetheilt von "Herrn. J.G.W. Brandt"
Page 62(82) bird 306.
Die Singvögel .
Dating parts of this Reichenbach work is perilous. But on page 9 in the intro he cites an article from the 1862 Ibis?? I know of no rule that you cannot honor a dead naturalist dealer? No matter how much modern young people might wish.

 

[Taphrospilus]

Here as well:

verdanke ich Herrn J. G. W. Brandt in Hamburg zur Ansicht, mit der Bezeichnung: Westafrika.

Common names here.

No idea when Brandt have shown Reichenbach the specimen.

P. S. My error not to check the key if there is a dedication.

 

[PScofield]

Its really comes down to what "mitgeteilt von Herrn J.G.W. Brandt" means. Does it mean "reported by', "first identified by", or even (loosely) "imported by and recognized as different"? All of these activities could have happened during the writing of the manuscript by the Author. There is an assumption here that Reichenbach's work was instantaneous - whereas we all know that good things take time.

 

[l_raty]

Reichenbach also thanked him repeatedly in his Scansoriae volume (which was published in 1853 -- i.e., unlike Singvögel, during JGW Brandt's lifetime), for sharing not only specimens, but also hand-made paintings of birds.
See in particular the footnote on p. 166 -

*) Ich verdanke dieselbe der nicht genug zu rühmenden Gefälligkeit des Herrn J. G. W. BRANDT in Hamburg, welcher mir nicht nur viele seltene Vögel, die ich nur zum Vergleich wünschte, sondern auch die von ihm mit seltenem Talent gefertigten schönen Handgemälde jener zahlreichen kostbaren Stücke, welche in seiner langen und thätigen Praxis ihm zur Hand gekommen sind, mit zuvorkommender Bereitwilligkeit mittheilte, um auch hierdurch die Wissenschaft, der er sein ganzes Leben geweiht hat, zu fördern.

So JGW Brandt was an artist, too, it would appear.

Reichenbach's work was mainly published as complete volumes covering a whole group of birds -- if he had received a (painting of a) Ploceus around 1853 that seemed new to him, I don't think it would be very surprising that he would have waited until he treated the group before describing it.


The other brandti/brandtii are indeed all for Johann Friedrich (alt. Фёдор Фёдорович) Brandt.

• Garrulus brandtii Eversmann 1842 - Reprint of Eversmann's Addenda ad celeberrimi pallasii zoographiam rosso-asiaticam - Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Leucosticte brandti Bonaparte 1850 - t.1-2; Index (1850; 1865) - Conspectus generum avium - Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Otocorys brandti Dresser 1874 - v.4 (1871-1881) - A history of the birds of Europe - Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Poecile brandtii Bogdanov 1879 - Ptit︠s︡y Kavkaza
• Phasianus brandti Rothschild 1901 - v.10-15=no.65-117 [v.10 Incomplete] (1899-1905) - Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. - Biodiversity Heritage Library

 

[mb1848]

"So JGW Brandt was an artist, too, it would appear."
A link to a recent auction of some bird paintings.
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-...-georg-wilhelm-palaeornis-v-1537-c-7bd45738a2 .
In Martin's link to P. brandtii page 82.
[Abt.4]:Bd.4 (1862) [Text] - Die vollständigste Naturgeschichte der Vögel - Biodiversity Heritage Library .
Die vollständigste Naturgeschichte der Vögel .
Someone at the Smithsonian dated pages 73-90 as after May 1, 1863

 

[mb1848]

Ploceus Brandtii was supposedly illustrated on tafel XL of 51 tafels in Die Singvogel. Meyer's Index shows four Ploceus species are shown on the plate. I cannot find it. Help.
And if anyone here has $850,000 in cryptocurrency they do not know what to do with might I recommend purchasing Reichenbach's original watercolors of all his drawings?
Heinrich Gottlieb Ludwig Reichenbach (German, 1793-1879), Original watercolor drawings for Die Vollständigste Naturgeschichte der Vögel des In- und Auslandes. .
The site shows a few pictures of the watercolors including a Ploceus or Emberiza ???

 

[l_raty]

Ploceus Brandtii was supposedly illustrated on tafel XL of 51 tafels in Die Singvogel. Meyer's Index shows four Ploceus species are shown on the plate. I cannot find it. Help.

It's #306, which is the lower-right bird on plate XL.
I don't have a BHL link at hand, but I think it should be viewable for anyone at Shared Publication.
From the US, also on Google Books at Die Singvögel. (You'll have to scroll to the right plate.)

 

[mb1848]

Thank you Laurent! Reichenow placed Pl. brandtii in synonymy with Ploceus cucullatus spilonotus Vigors 1831. But Shelley said
I have followed Dr. Reichenow in referring P. brantii,
Reichb., to this species, but it appears to me to be indeter-
minable.?? I think the picture of 306 on XL looks like Ploceus cucullatus nigriceps (Layard, EL, 1867) ???