bryanti / bryantii (1 Viewer)

Taphrospilus · Sep 7, 2018

I am wondering a little bit about key entry:

Walter Pierce Bryant (1861-1905) US ornithologist, Bird Curator for California Academy of Sciences (subsp. Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus, syn. Passerculus sandwichensis alaudinus).

I think we talk about Walter E. Bryant or here.

Why Pierce and what is the middle name E.? I see no Pierce in his obituary in The Condor nor in here. I feel Pierce was introduced by error but would be happy if anyone convince me with additional information.

But could derive from here:

Bryant, Walter Pierce, 1861-1905, Santa Rosa, Rural Cemetery, Bryant Lot (grave unmarked in 1929).

l_raty · Sep 7, 2018

This seems to be a long-lasting confusing situation, in any case.
In a 1928 paper in Condor [pdf], he was even once presented as: "Bryant, Walter [Pierc]e."

Björn Bergenholtz · Sep 7, 2018

• "Heleodytes brunneicapillus bryanti" ANTHONY 1894 (here):

This subspecies I propose to name Heleodytes brunneicapillus bryanti, in honor of Mr. W. E. Bryant, whose name is too well known in connection with the ornithology of Lower California to make comment on my part necessary.

If we follow the clue "IN HIS catalogue of the 'Birds of Lower California'", given in the very entry of this Paper I think we end up with "A Catalogue of the Birds of Lower California, Mexico" 1889, by Walter E. Bryant, here ...

For what it´s worth.

Björn

PS. The Passerculus synonym I haven't checked at all.

Taphrospilus · Sep 7, 2018

Calalp said:
PS. The Passerculus synonym I haven't checked at all.

Description here.

I take pleasure in dedicating to Mr. Walter Bryant, of Oakland, Cal., who has taken the majority of the specimens now existing in collections, and who has devoted much study to the birds of San Francisco Bay and vicinity.

l_raty · Sep 7, 2018

He used "Walter E." when publishing, and this is clearly how he was referred to while he was alive.

The earliest occurrence of "Walter Pierce Bryant" or "Bryant Walter Pierce" that Google Books finds in the literature is in Pacific Coast Avifauna, 13: 7 -- [this], in a list of "authors whose names appeared in the first ten volumes of The Condor, though not in full, and for whom full names are now available." This was published in 1919 (14 years after he passed away). I have tried searching Condor 1-10 for "Bryant" on BHL -- but all the indications of a middle name I could find (there are many) were always "E."

Taphrospilus · May 8, 2020

And in his obituary as well as In Memoriam: Walter E. Bryant born January 14, 1861, at Sonoma, Sonoma Co., California. I am not at all convinced about Pierce.

Taphrospilus · Nov 12, 2021

As I came accross him in other context Description of a new Subspecies of Song Sparrow from Lower California, Mexico I am still wondering what the E. in the middle name stands for.

PScofield · Nov 12, 2021

So the family story repeated in dozens of genealogical websites is that his given name was Walter Pierce but that he disliked Pierce. It was however considered necessary in the US in the 19th century for a gentleman to have a middle initial therefore from his late teens, he dropped the Pierc and simply used the initial E. Thus the E stands for nothing. This is not a unique situation I have heard of it before.

mb1848 · Nov 13, 2021

See, Harry S. Truman President of the United States of America.

bryanti / bryantii (1 Viewer)

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