The German G. A. Fischer and "his" Turaco … (1 Viewer)

Here´s another sad, early lost, German naturalist …

This time we´re focusing on the species Fischer's Turaco Tauraco fischeri REICHENOW 1878 a k a "Fischer's Touraco" or "East African Red-crested Lourie" alt. "Fischer's Loerie".

I think there is little doubt that it commemorates the fairly un-known (at least among English speaking ornithologists) German explorer and collector Doctor Gustav Adolf Fischer (1848–1886), who on at least two Expeditions explored the wildlife in East Africa, between 1877 till 1885/86.

The Turaco was presented for the first time by the great German ornithologist Anton Reichenow, as "Corythaix Fisheri" on a meeting 6th May 1878 In the short type description (published the same year), in the German ornithological Journal Ornithologisches Centralblatt 3: pp. 87-88 (attached) the Secretary of the meeting writes the following sentences of this Reichow's presentation:

"Herr Dr. Fischer hat sich während seines bisherigen kurzen Aufenthaltes in Afrika bereits hohe Verdienste um die Wissenschaft erworben. Eine reiche Sammlung von Vogelbälgen, welche kürzlich an den Referenten eingegangen ist, giebt Zeugniss von dem Fleisse und der Sorgfalt des Sammlers. Es ist bei dieser Collection auch die vorzügliche Präparation der Bälge rühmend hervorzuheben. Der Vortragende behält sich vor, demnächst ausfürlich über diese Sammlung im Journal zu berichten, und bespricht vorläufig einige von Dr. Fischer neu entdeckte Arten, welche folgendermassen benannt under charakterisirt werden: Corythaix Fisheri Rchw. n. sp."

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With only limited knowledge of German I hope someone of Bird Forums readers will feel like translating this quote for me!? If so, please as accurate as possible, as I would like to quote it myself in Swedish. And don´t hesitate to remark on any errors that I might have done transcribing it.

Anyone of our German knowing friends "out there" feel like having a go?

I start my translation a bit before the excerpt you cite to provide more context.

The text gives the minutes of an official meeting of the Deutsche Ornithologische Gesellschaft.

Reichenow is reporting on various topics to the assembly. `He (Reichenow) also reported on the latest news of the traveller to Africa Dr Fischer, reading out a long description by the traveller regarding his ornithological observations so far, which are to be published in the Journal fuer Ornithologie. During his brief stay so far in Africa Dr Fischer has already made important contributions to science. A rich collection of bird skins bears witness to the endeavour and thoroughness of the collector. The outstanding preparation of the skins in this collection is particularly noteworthy. The respondent (ie Reichenow) indicated he would soon report in detail on the collection in the Journal (fuer Ornighologie) and meanwhile discusses some new species discovered by Dr Fischer, which have been named and described as follows.'

The German Wikipedia article on Gustav Adolf Fischer isn't much longer than the English one, so he doesn't appear to be that well-known in Germany either. The only bird species mentioned as being named after him is the lovebird (although at least the English article mentions that there are other species names commemorating him). The source given in the German article are also online and give a little more biographical detail. However, they don't comment on birds named for him.

Andrea

Excellent, thanks Andrea!

I don´t know much (like those Wiki-pages) of Herr (Mr.) Doctor (?) Gustav Adolf Fischer …

Anyone feel like enlighten me, with a brief summary of his life? Or just tell me where I can find such a biography, (brief, the most important facts or key points )? Or any additional info whatsover?

What I do know (or think I do) about Gustav Adolf Fischer is (only) as follows:

He was born in March (either the 3rd or 4th, dates differ) 1848 in the industrial town Barmen (today a part of the city Wuppertal), Germany. Fischer left Europe for his first Expedition in November 1876, reaching Zansibar the following year where it all really started … (and here´s where I get lost, due to my meager linguistic skills) … the whole African adventure. And all the Birds! …

Apparently Fischer returned (finally, even if he didn´t know that) to Europe in September 1886, spending October with his Parents in Düsseldorf. In preparing a Report of his Explorations, he travelled via Hamburg to Berlin, where he arrived the 8th November. Shortly thereafter , not much more than a day, during the night between 9th and 10th of November he was struck by "Gallenfieber"(!?) … that ended his life. He died there, in Berlin, the next day, the 11th November 1886 – at the age of 38.

This I learned, or tolerably figured out, trying to find my way through the long and exhaustive Obituary (Zur Erinnerung aus Gustav Adolf Fischer) by Anton Reichenow, published shortly after Fischer's Death, in Journal für Ornithologie 34: pp. 613-622. (Here )

If anyone of you guys, with sufficient knowledge of German, would have the kindness (and energy) to read it and briefly fill in the gaps for me … I would be very grateful. And please, don´t hesitate to remark if I´ve got something wrong in my brief account (above) of the start, and end, of his life!

If so, it would also be good (even better) if you could pin-point any particular sentence (to quote) that summaries his life and/or achievements. Or any line, likewise noteworthy or just "fun to read"?

I know it´s much to ask … but what can you do. Being almost illiterate in German.

The biography I mentioned is availalbe at http://www.deutsche-biographie.de/xsfz16175.html.

It gives his day of birth as the 3rd of March, not the 4th (not sure how to check which one is accruate). He trained as a medical doctor, but apparently was interested in the natural sciences from boyhood.

According to the biography, he intended to join an expedition organized by the brothers Denhardt (no idea who they were) and went to Mombasa in 1876 to start setting everything up, and to scout the best route to the `Galla' tribes. The expedition duly set off in 1878 but ran out of funds after a few months. Fischer then practiced medicine on Zanzibar for 3 1/2 years. In 1882 he organized his own expedition (funded by the Geographische Gesellschaft in Hamburg). This moved passed Kilimanjaro into the lands of the Masai, who were hostile and in May 1883 they decided they could not travel further in that direction. Via Meru the expedition made its way back to the coast. Apparently he was the first to bring back reliable reports regarding the Masai. [It's not clear to me whether this should be seen in a German or an international context.]

He then wrote a controversial report for his financiers in which he advised against trying to colonize Eastern Africa. He travelled back to East Africa in 1885 to try to find the explorer Wilhelm Junker (a Russian of German descent), who had been cut off by the Mahdi revolt and whose whereabouts were unknown. This expedition too ran into problems (in part caused by sentiments agains the German East Africa company), and having reached Lake Victoria found it impossible to circumnavigate same as planned in an Eastern direction due to a drought which was followed by a famine. He contracted a fever, and having returned to the colonized part of East Africa he took some time to recover from it. He then returned to Germany and died from what was considered a relapse.

There is more detail there if you really want it. Reichenow's account differs somewhat in that he talks as if that first journey had been Fischer's own conception. According to him a lot of ornithological material resulted from Fischer's first years in Africa, first exploring Zanzibar `in his spare time' and then exploring the coastal strip from Mombasa to Wito. The first expedition had to turn around, according to Reichenow, due to hostility from the natives as well as illness among his travel companions. It brought (among other results) descriptions and skins of 20 previously unknown bird species. The second expedition resulted in 345 bird species observed and described, of which 36 were new. Reichenow doesn't say what was discovered during the third and final expedition. Throughout it should be mentioned that Fischer didn't just bring back descriptions of birds - other species were also discovered, some of which were knew, and he travelled through areas that previously had not been seen by Western explorers, and so he also contributed to the geographical, as well as ethnological, knowledge held about the regions in question.

Reichenow is pretty thorough in giving sources where Fischer's findings were published, if you want to find out in more detail what he discovered.

Does that help?

Andrea

Many thanks, Andrea!

kitefarrago said:

Does that help?

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It sure does! (= understatement of today)

More than enough to finish my entry on this man.

Fischer ... over and out!

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PS. The same Gustav Adolf Fischer is also (according to various sources, I haven´t double-checked them) commemorated in the following bird:
● Fischer's Greenbul Phyllastrephus (cabanisi) fischeri REICHENOW 1879
● Straw-tailed Whydah Vidua fischeri REICHENOW 1882 a k a "Fischer's Pin-tailed Whydah" or simply "Fischer's Whydah"
● White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher (Melaenornis) Dioptrornis (chocolatinus) fischeri REICHENOW 1884 a k a "Fischer's Slaty-Flycatcher"
● Fischer's Starling Lamprotornis fischeri REICHENOW 1884
● Fischer's Lovebird Agapornis fischeri REICHENOW 1887
● … and several (more or less debated) sub-species!

On top of that he is also remembered in the Common name of:
● Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix leucopareia – presented personally by Reichenow and Fischer himself, on a meeting with the "United German Ornithological Society" (Allgemeine Deutsche Ornitologische Gesellschaft) in Berlin, the 3rd of December 1883, (published jointly the year after) and thereby, in following time acknowledged simply as "Fischer's".

PPS. Not to be confused with his (much earlier) fellow countryman Johann Gotthelf Fischer von Waldheim (1771–1853) who is commemorated in Spectacled Eider (Arctonetta) Somateria fischeri BRANDT 1847. Nor the even less known Dutch collector Doctor George Fischer (xxxx–xxxx) who collected in South East Asia 1873–1874 and got a Dove of his own; Red-eared Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus fischeri BRÜGGEMANN 1876 a k a "Fischer's Fruit-Dove".

Calalp said:

It sure does! (= understatement of today)
Nor the even less known Dutch collector Doctor George Fischer (xxxx–xxxx) who collected in South East Asia 1873–1874 and got a Dove of his own; Red-eared Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus fischeri BRÜGGEMANN 1876 a k a "Fischer's Fruit-Dove".

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Fischer sent 1066 birds to Darmstad (Germany). His mother was from the Netherlands his father from Kassel (germany), unknown where he was born. In 1876 his parents lived in Darmstadt. As doctor he went with the Dutch military to Celebes and Borneo and sent birds between 1873 and 1896 to Darmstadt. The collection was destroyed by bombing in WWII. (source Gebhardt 1964 & 1970)

Let's give a restart to George Fischer.

Ptilinopus fischeri Brüggemann, 1876 OD v.5 1878 - Abhandlungen herausgegeben vom Naturwissenschaftlichen Verein zu Bremen - Biodiversity Heritage Library

Ich benenne diesen schönen Vogel zu Ehren seines Entdeckers, des Herrn Dr. G. Fischer auf Celebes, der durch seine mit grossem Fleiss und Verständniss zusammengebrachte Sammmlungen die Ornithologie der Insel gefördert und durch seine reiche Schenkung das Darmstädter Museum sehr zu Dank verpflichtet hat.

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Earlier v.5 1878 - Abhandlungen herausgegeben vom Naturwissenschaftlichen Verein zu Bremen - Biodiversity Heritage Library is written:

Das Grossherzogliche zoologische Museum in Darmstadt erhielt vor einiger Zeit durch Herrn Dr. Georg Fischer, Stabsarzt in Amoenthey, ....

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The Eponym Dictionary of Birds

Fischer's Fruit Dove Ptilinopus fischeri Brüggemann, 1876 [Alt. Red-eared Fruit Dove]
Georg Fischer (DNF) was an army surgeon who collected in the East Indies (1873–1896).

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George Fischer (fl. 1896) Dutch surgeon, collector in the East Indies (Ramphiculus).

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I am not sure if he here Ministerialblatt für Kirchen- und Schulangelegenheiten im Königreich Bayern

dem Inspektor am K. Naturalienkabinete in Bamberg , Dr. Georg Fischer

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..is the same person. or here Naturkundemuseum Bamberg » Sammlungsgeschichte

Haupts Nachfolger war der Geistliche Dr. Georg Fischer, der das Museum von 1885-1912 leitete. Ihm kam die Aufgabe zu, die angesammelten Bestände zu inventarisieren und zu katalogisieren. Fischer füllte 11 Inventarfolianten und 44 Kataloge mit Objektdaten.

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But the priest would count against him. So I give the question to the audience when and where he was born and when and where he died.

The already mentioned Gebhardt wrote:

Fischer, Georg, Dr. Sein Vater, wahrscheinlich Kaufmann, war 1809 in Kassel geboren, seine Mutter 1801 in Utrecht. Seit 1876 lebten die Eltern in Darmst. Als Militärarzt ging der Sohn nach den holl. Südsee-Inseln. Von Celebes, Borneo usw. schickte er zwischen 1873 und 1896 umfangreiche Balgsamml. an das Darmst. Mus. Die ersten Sendungen wurden von F. Brüggemann (s.d.) in Abh . Brem. 1876, 1877, 1878 beschrieben. Im 2. Weltkrieg gingen die Bestände unter. Durch weitere Daten und Fakten konnte F.s Leben nicht aufgehellt werden.

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All the records I can find have him as George Fischer.
He was posted throughout The Dutch East Indies and his role was civil not military.
He married in Cornelia Petronella Gersen in Bandjermasin (Southern and Eastern Department of Borneo) in 1876.
He was District officer of Heath in Jatinegara (originally known as Meester Cornelis) in 1887.
He died in Buitenzorg (Batavia) now Bogor on 02-08-1908

With regards to George Fischer, I would like to add the following newspaper announcement (Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad of 18 August 1908).
In a somewhat liberal (to break up the otherwise awkward sentence structure) translation it reads:
On the 2nd of August the noble sir [not a noble title, but rather a term of appreciation] Dr. G. Fischer died in Buitenzorg, in the age of [illegible, but either 63 or 83] year, deeply mourned by the relations he left behind.
In the name of all, Mrs. the Wid[ow]. Dr. G. Fischer-van Goor.
Sole and general announcement. 6427

The date of death corresponds with what PScofield found, and shows that he died in Buitenzorg (now Bogor), instead of Batavia (now Jakarta).

The name of the widow is different, however, obviously...

Hopefully, both the tangents of stated age (either 63 or 83) combined with the name of his second (?) wife will enable other sleuths to retrieve his date of birth, place of birth etc.

Thanks for that. Yes George's third wife was Jacoba Petronella Cornelia van Goor (1858-1938).

What is more confusing is that Georges appears to have married at least three times. His first wife was Henriëtte Maria Brill (with whom he had a daughter Adriana Cornelia Petronella Maria Fischer (born 1868 in Banda)), and his second wife was called Cornelia Petronella too (but her surname was Gersen). She was married to Abraham Marinus Vermast but by 1913 she is registered in Holland as the widow of George Fischer.

So I would go for 1845 as birth year (63 years). If Gebhardt was correct the father was born 1809 in Kasel. 1825 would be a very young father.

He was born 12 Feb 1845 in Utrecht


Parents' marriage in 1843

Groom Johann Peter L. Fischer Place of birth Kassel in Hessen Born 1817 He died back in Hessen on 22 Dec. 1906 in Bessungen a suburb of Darmstadt.
Bride Johanna Maria Vermeulen Place of birth Helmond born 1813. Died 09 Jan 1890 in Darmstadt, Hessen

So Gebhardt was about 50% Right!

George Fischer (1845-1908) RIP

PScofield said:

What is more confusing is that she appears to have married twice, with an odd timeline (married George in 1876 in Indonesia then again in 1880 in Holland to Abraham Marinus Vermast). It is possible that her second marriage may not have been legitimate. Because in 1913 she is registered in Holland as the widow of George Fischer!

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In her death record at :
she is described as the widow of: Fischer, George, previously divorced wife of: Vermast, Abraham Marinus.
So both marriages appear to have been legally recognised.

In the 1880 marriage record at :
(scan 39/49), she is given as born in Rotterdam, residing in Rotterdam, the minor daughter of an architect also residing in Rotterdam. The groom was an equine doctor, residing in Rotterdam, but who had been residing in Utrecht within the previous six months. Obviously they moved to the East Indies together after the marriage, as their children were born there. I'd be a bit surprised if a girl with this history had been in Borneo in 1876.

Overall, this suggests to me that the date of Fischer's marriage was probably misrecorded, and was later than 1876. (Or that he had married another woman in 1876.)


(For the record, George's father -- as per his birth record -- was a kapper (hairdresser), not a 'Kaufmann' (merchant) as suggested tentatively by Gebhardt.)