Signor di Brazza in Brazza’s Martin Phedina brazzae … (1 Viewer)

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Here´s another French Eponymical Bird exercise … that, I guess, requires some knowledge of Italian!?

At this point … as far as I understand, or at least think I do, the: Brazza’s Martin Phedina brazzae OUSTALET 1886 (a k a "Brazza's Congo Martin", "Brazza's Swallow" or just "Congo Martin") … commemorates the Italian explorer, naturalist and collector Giacomo Savorgnan di Brazzà (1859–1888) a k a (in French) Jacques Savorgnan de Brazza (sometimes written with or without apostrophe … in either direction).

This Giacomo di Brazzà explored and collected together with his fellow countryman Attilio Pecile (1856–1931) [among others like; François Rigail de Lastours (1855–1885) and Count (Conte) Pietro Antonelli (18XX–XX] in French Congo (= todays Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa) in the years 1883 and 1884.

Not to be confused with his more famous older brother; Count (Conte) Pietro Paolo Savorgnan di Brazzà (1852–1905) a k a (in French) Comte de Pierre Paul Savorgnan de Brazza.

In the type description; Oustalet, E. 1886. Notice sur quelques Oiseaux Noveaux du Congo. Le Naturaliste: journal des échanges et des nouvelles 8: 299-300. (attached)... the Brazza's (as de Brazza) is mentioned quite a few times!

Can anyone please explain, in short, what it tells us?

The article starts, for example, with the sentence:

"Les collection dʼhistoire naturelle qui ont été recueillies sur divers points du Gabon et du Congo par les membres de la mission de M. S. de Brazza … "

"M. S. de Brazza"? Plural? Double titles, as in; Monsieur Signor !? Or the older brother?

And further down:

"Lʼindividu que je viens de dècrire est indiqué comme étant du sexe féminin; il a été le 26 juin 1884 au poste Ganciù (ou Nganciou) par MM. J. de Brazza et Pecile.
Enfin, je proposerai dʼinscrire dans les catalogues ornithologiques sous le nom Phedina Brazzæ une Hirondelle tuée dans la mème localité le 19 juillet 1884 et différent …"

Without knowing any French I have to ask: Anyone feel like translating those two quotes? If so, please as accurate as possible, as I would like to quote them myself in Swedish. And don´t hesitate to remark on any errors that I might have done transcribing it!

And finally: Does this text tell us anything else of this either di Brazza?
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PS. In the same article is also: "Coccystes Brazzæ" = Pachycoccyx audeberti brazzae OUSTALET 1886.

 

[James Jobling]

Pierre Comte de Brazza, who adopted a French name and citizenship in 1874, organised the expedition to the Congo. "M. S. de Brazza" = Monsieur Savorgnan de Brazza. His brother, Giacomo di Brazza (who did not take up French citizenship) was a member of the expedition. A case could be made for treating Phedina brazzae as honouring both brothers, although Giacomo collected the type. I think the cuckoo Pachycoccyx was named for Pierre.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Thank you James,

I´m close to finish my entry on di/de Brazza 's, but still curious of the two quotes:

"Les collection dʼhistoire naturelle qui ont été recueillies sur divers points du Gabon et du Congo par les membres de la mission de M. S. de Brazza … "

"Lʼindividu que je viens de dècrire est indiqué comme étant du sexe féminin; il a été le 26 juin 1884 au poste Ganciù (ou Nganciou) par MM. J. de Brazza et Pecile.
Enfin, je proposerai dʼinscrire dans les catalogues ornithologiques sous le nom Phedina Brazzæ une Hirondelle tuée dans la mème localité le 19 juillet 1884 et différent …"

And if the attached files tell us anything else of this either di Brazza?

Anyone in the mood for translating?

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Conclusion regarding the Brazza Brothers …

Even if no-one seems very keen on translating those two quotes (from French, as earlier wished for in this thread) it´s time for me to make an attempt on closing my entry on the di Brazzà/de Brazza Brothers …

The Phedina brazzae OUSTALET 1886 commemorates either one, or the other, (or both … I think it´s just a matter of interpretation) of the italian brothers di Brazzà (Savorgnani) – with some small alterations (compared with my first post #1):

1. the French Naval Officer (entered the French naval academy in 1870) adventurer, collector, explorer of Central Africa in both 1875–1878 and 1879–1882 (when he founded the city Brazzaville in 1880!) and later General Governor of French Kongo 1886–1898: Conte (Count) Pietro Paolo Francesco Camillo di Brazzà Savorgnani (1852–1905), in short a k a Pietro di Brazzà, better known as (after his French Citizenship 1874): Comte de (Count) Pierre Paul François Camille Savorgnan de Brazza or (mostly) Pierre Paul Savorgnan de Brazza or just Pierre de Brazza – born 25th January 1852 in Castel Gandolfo, south East of Rome … died 14th Setember 1905 in Dakar, Senegal (53 years old).

2. The explorer, naturalist, mountain climber (!) and collector: Giacomo di Brazzà (1859–1888), in French a k a (even if he never retained any French citizenship) "Jacques Savorgnan de Brazza" or just "Jacques de Brazza" – born on 14th December 1859 ... (see earlier in this thread) ... and died of "Scarlatine" fever in 1888 in Rome (only about 28 years old).

That´s it!

PS. The same ambiguousness goes for the Common name of the guenon "De Brazza’s Monkey " Cercopithecus neglectus.

 

[l_raty]

Les collection dʼhistoire naturelle qui ont été recueillies sur divers points du Gabon et du Congo par les membres de la mission de M. S. de Brazza …

= The natural history collections that were gathered at various points of the Gabon and the Congo by the members of the mission of Mr S. de Brazza...

Lʼindividu que je viens de décrire est indiqué comme étant du sexe féminin; il a été tué le 26 juin 1884 au poste Ganciù (ou Nganciou) par MM. J. de Brazza et Pecile.
Enfin, je proposerai dʼinscrire dans les catalogues ornithologiques sous le nom Phedina Brazzæ une Hirondelle tuée dans la mème localité le 19 juillet 1884 et différent …

= The individual that I just decribed is noted as being of the female sex; it was killed on 26 June 1884 at the Ganciù (or Nganciou) post by Messrs J. de Brazza and Pecile.
Last, I shall propose to write down in the ornithological catalogues under the name Phedina Brazzæ a swallow killed at the same locality on 19 July 1884 and differing...
(Note that the first sentence refers to Cossypha Pecilei, while the second refers to Phedina Brazzæ.)


In this paper, six species are described: the first one is named "Savorgnani"; among the others are two "Brazzæ", two "Pecilei", and one "Tholloni" (this one being named after François-Romain Thollon, another collector).
Even though this is not explicit, I'd have little doubt that:
- the first species, said to be among the most remarkable, "Savorgnani", must be dedicated to the person who orgnanised the expedition, ie., Pierre;
- the two "Brazzæ", on par with the two "Pecilei", given that "MM. J. de Brazza et Pecile" clearly collected most of these birds together, must commemorate the collector, ie, Jacques.

Laurent -

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Great work Laurent!

Laurent,

A thousand thanks for your help, translations and clever interpretations!

It made it all much clearer and I think you´ve got it right! I now dare, and feel bold enough to change my entry, back to what I stated in my introductory #1 (sigh!) … with the following additional notes regarding the commemorations of those six birds described in this article by Oustalet 1886 (in chronological order):

1. The apparently " most remarkable" specie: "Centrous Savorgnani" (synonymous with Gabon Coucal C. anselli SHARPE 1874) = the older brother (as earlier this thread): di Brazzà Savorgnani/Savorgnan de Brazza (1852–1905).

2. "Coccystes Brazzœ" (today the subspecie Pachcoccyx audeberti brazzae) = the younger brother (as earlier this thread): di Brazzà (1859–1888).

3. "Dendropicus Pecilei" (synonymous with Dendropicos xantholophus HARGITT 1883) = (as earlier this thread): Attilio Pecile (1856–1931).

4. "Saxicola Tholloni" (today Congo Moor-Chat Myrmecocichla tholloni) a k a "Thollon's Moor-chat" = The French collector and botanist François-Romain Thollon (1855–1896). More on him on: http://plants.jstor.org/person/bm000028678?history=true

5. "Cossypha Pecilei" (???) … I haven´t been able to figure out whatever bird that is or was!? = (as earlier this thread): Attilio Pecile (1856–1931).

6. And finally the Item of this thread itself; the "Phedina Brazzœ" (today Brazza’s Martin Phedina brazzae): = the younger brother (as earlier this thread) di Brazzà (1859–1888).

+ a small note on the possibilty that the Brazzae Birds might, maybe, but unlikely, commemorate them both.

Once again: A thousand thanks!

 

[James Jobling]

Cossypha pecilei Oustalet, 1886 = Melaenornis pallidus murinus (Hartlaub & Finsch, 1870)

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Thanks James!

I see you´ve figured out the Italic button, as discussed on another thread ...

And regarding that subject, as you´ve seen in my often long and lingering post here on Bird Forum, I´ve found a way of solving the problem with hyphens, apostrophes, graves, acutes, umlauts and cedillas (I guess its, in my case, it´s an inevitable necessity, being a "foreigner" with the First name Björn, living on Ymsenvägen in Årsta, Stockholm) – I simply write my whole entry (ouside Bird Forum) in a Normal Word document (using all possible Word formats/insert symbols etc) and then just copy and insert the whole lot in the Thread poster on Bird Forum.

Then its just to "decorate" your entry the way you feel like it (using the tool bar): broad, Italic, underlined, different justified text, colours, attachements, added links etc etc. The links and attachments then appear on the bottom of your post, easy to open or save. And the whole post is easy to Preview before you finally submit your reply and send it "out there".

Cheers!

 

[James Jobling]

TESTING;
brubru French name “Brubru” given to the Southern Brubru in imitation of the male’s incessant calls; ex “Brubru” of Levaillant 1800, pl. 71: “Le ramage du mâle exprime très-distinctement le mot bru, répété deux ou trois fois de suite, en grassayant et traînant un peu sur l’r ” (subsp. Nilaus afer).

 

[James Jobling]

Thanks very much indeed. I can remember all the scientific bird names, but had to be reminded about the right-click by my better half!!!

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Conclusion on the Brazzà/Brazza Brothers and their Birds ... and colleauges

Just a short summary of the eponyms and commemorations in this thread, based on (the one and same) article by Oustalet 1886 (in alphabetical order):

Brazzœ "Phedina Brazzœ" (today Brazza’s Martin Phedina brazzae) + Coccystes Brazzœ" (today the subspecie Pachycoccyx audeberti brazzae) = (as earlier this thread) the younger brother di Brazzà (1859–1888).

Pecilei "Dendropicus Pecilei" (invalid, as synonymous with Dendropicos xantholophus HARGITT 1883) + "Cossypha Pecilei" (invalid, as synonymous with Bradornis/Melaenornis pallidus murinus HARTLAUB & FINSCH 1870) = (as earlier this thread) Attilio Pecile (1856–1931).

Savorgnani "Centropus Savorgnani" (invalid, as synonymous with Gabon Coucal C. anselli SHARPE 1874) = (as earlier this thread) the older brother di Brazzà Savorgnani/Savorgnan de Brazza (1852–1905).

Tholloni "Saxicola Tholloni" (today Congo Moor-Chat Myrmecocichla tholloni) = (as earlier this thread) François-Romain Thollon (1855–1896).

That ought to be my final point ... regarding those Birds.

Thank you all!

Brazzae ... over and out!

 

[Taphrospilus]

The Eponym Dictionary of Birds claims:

Brazza's Martin Phedina brazzae Oustalet, 1886 [Alt. Brazza's Swallow, Congo Martin]
Brazza's Thick-billed Cuckoo Pachycoccyx audeberti brazzae Oustalet, 1886
Jacques (or Giacomo) C. Savorgnan de Brazza (1859–1888) was the younger brother of Count Pierre Paul François Camille Savorgnan de Brazza (1852–1905), the distinguished French explorer. Jacques accompanied his brother exploring the Congo, and while his elder brother became Governor of the French Congo, Jacques was the Director of Le Mission de L'ouest Africain. He amassed a fish collection, mainly from the Ogowe River, that was sent to Paris (c.1885).

Sorry to open it again because of above quote.

What is correct I assume Savorgnan di Brazzà is his last name. Is there a middle name with C as claimed in The Eponym Dictionary of Birds. Or is the C. from Count or a mix up with his brother Camille?

Anyway here a picture of him. And shouldn't be the name indeed be the french version if his family was french?

 

[PScofield]

I can find:

Giacomo (Jacques) de BRAZZA de CERGNEU-SAVORGNAN

Birth	4 Dec 1859 Roma, Roma, Lazio, Italy
Death	29 February 1888 Roma, Roma, Lazio, Italy

Father	Ascanio de BRAZZA de CERGNEU-SAVORGNAN (1793-1877)

Mother	Giacinta Simonetti di Gavignano (1817-1907)

His father was actually technically a Pontifical subject and not Italian. I can't find any original documents so not sure what Giacomo was christened but he was not French and given his family history I suspect that the idea of becoming French would be an anathema - the family is of Udine ancestry hence the surname is de Brazza not di as it comes from the Central Friulian pronoun.

This is the father (a famous artist):

"The Savorgnan de Brazza family descended, according to legend, from Severiano d'Aquileia, grandson of Emperor Severus, who in 462 laid the foundation stones of Savorgnan Castle. Ascanio Count de Brazza de Cergneu-Savorgnan was born in Udine in Friuli in 1793. He is the son of Count François and Countess Giulia Piccoli. After the fall of Napoleon, Friuli came under the yoke of Austria. So that he did not become an Austrian subject his father sends him to study in Bologna at the college of the Barnabites where he has for companion Massimo d 'Azeglio Azeglio (Massimo d') (1798-1866) Italian politician and writer. He will be president of the council of King Victor Emmanuel from 1849 to 1852 and replaced in this post by Cavour. . Quickly Ascanio devoted himself to art. Before settling in Rome where he obtained the title of “Roman citizen”, he traveled to all the European capitals. This former student of Canova draws streets and squares, sculpts. In 1834 he thought of marriage and wanted to marry Giacinta Simonetti, a 16-year-old Roman noblewoman. Faced with the age difference, her guardian drives Ascanio away and takes him on a one-year trip. His journey takes him to Constantinople, Syria and Egypt, to the limits of Sudan. He leaves many drawings and watercolors of his travels. From his marriage to Giacinta in 1835 he had 16 children, 13 of whom survived. Ascanio, who had become a pontifical subject, by virtue of his ancient nobility and his links with the oldest Roman families, obtained in 1858 the title of Roman patrician for himself, his sons, and his descendants. He died in 1877."

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

In my MS I have: Giacomo di Brazzà (1859–1888), a fairly unknown Italian explorer, mountaineer and collector (of Natural History specimens) a k a Jacques de Brazza (also with, or without accents, in both directions, both grave or acute), commemorated in Brazza's Martin Phedina brazzae (Oustalet, 1886), a k a "Brazza's Congo Martin", "Congo Martin" and/or "Brazza's Swallow" [alt. brazzasvala, in Swedish, hence my interest 😉]. It was he who, together with his fellow countryman Attilio Pecile, discovered this species and collected its type, during an expedition along the lower Congo (River) in 1883–1884.

He's not to be confused (which often has been done!) with his far more famous, older brother: Count (Conte) Pietro Paolo Francesco Camillo di Brazzà Savorgnani (1852–1905), at first an officer of the French navy (1870) – even better known as Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza alt. Comte (Count) Pierre Paul François Camille Savorgnan de Brazza (which was the name he took when he became a French citizen in 1874) – also he an explorer, adventurer, and collector, as well as General governor (who on top of much else, got himself remembered in the town/City/Capital; Brazzaville, Congo). He explored large parts of Central Africa in 1875–1878 and 1879–1882 (and founded Brazzaville in 1880).