• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

battyi (1 Viewer)

Taphrospilus

Well-known member
Just a small remark on battyi in HBW key of today:

Joseph H. Batty (1846-1906) professional collector in tropical America 1896-1906 (Leptotila).

From OD it is not clear to whom Rothschild dedicated the dove. It is very likely that it is in fact the author of Practical taxidermy, and home decoration: together with general information for sportsmen as he collected in Panama Falsified Data Associated with Specimens of Birds, Mammals, and Insects from the Veragua Archipelago, Panama, Collected by J. H. Batty

In last articles is written as well:

On his last expedition. Batty was "killed instantly by the accidental discharge of his gun while collecting near Pijijiapan, in the southern part of the State of Chiapas, Mexico, on May 26, 1906"

Nevertheless I am not sure if he was born 1846. Maybe what's written here is correct?

Batty, Joseph H. (1850–1906), taxidermist and specimen hunter recently accused of fraudulent practices, “killed instantly by the accidental discharge of his gun,” age 55, in Mexico.

In Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal of year 1982 is written:

Joseph H. Batty (ca. 1846-1906), naturalist and taxidermist, was born in Springfield, Mass. where he received a high school education.

But maybe there is a reliable source I missed?
 
Last edited:
Well noted, Martin, and apparently a justified "small remark" ...

Rocky Mountain Naturalists, by Joseph Ewan (1950) supposedly (Google search, no preview) says:
BATTY, JOSEPH H., 1847-1906 Taxidermist of New York City, professional plume hunter before the laws prohibiting the commerce were passed, ...
The same (no preview) goes for Guide to the Ewan Papers, by Douglas Holland (1997):
Batty , Joseph H. (1847-1906) Taxidermist; New York,
The United States in Latin America: a historical dictionary, by David Shavit (1992), here (Google snippet view) also have the same years:
BATTY, JOSEPH H. (1847-1906). Taxidermist, born in Springfield, Massachusetts. Batty was in business as a taxidermist in New York City, and later engaged in plume hunting, visiting, for this purpose, western Mexico, Central America, ...
Lives of game animals: an account of those land animals in America, north of the Mexican border, which are considered "game," either because they have held the attention of sportsmen, or received the protection of the law (Vol 1) by Ernest Thompson Seton (1953), here (same snippet view):
Batty, Joseph H. (1847-1906).
Also see the "Notes and News" pages in The Auk 34 (4) 1917, here:
Seven others born in 1847 did not enjoy as long a span of life but nevertheless left their names indelibly impressed on the records of ornithology. ... The American names include ... Joseph H. Batty, taxidermist and field collector, ...
And note the sentence by Storrs L. Olson (2008), p.3, second link in Post #1:
According to a note in the collector/donor file in the Division of Birds, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (USNM), he was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, on September 3, 1847.
If correct, based on what, is unknown to me. But it sure looks like it! ;)

From OD it is not clear to whom Rothschild dedicated the dove. ...
True, Martin, however see the first part of Storrs Olson's Paper (2008):
Batty was the first person to collect birds and mammals on the very large island of Coiba, ...
As that the Type of the Brown-backed Dove Leptotila battyi ROTHSCHILD "1901" (1902?) [as "Leptoptila (sic) battyi"] was collected on the same "Coiba Island" I think it´s pretty safe to assume he´s the proper guy.

Cheers!

Björn

PS. Mark, I think his Mother's first name was Henrietta.
---
 
Last edited:
True, Martin, however see the first part of Storrs Olson's Paper (2008):As that the Type of the Brown-backed Dove Leptotila battyi ROTHSCHILD "1901" (1902?) [as "Leptoptila (sic) battyi"] was collected on the same "Coiba Island" I think it´s pretty safe to assume he´s the proper guy.


@ Björn, There was no real doubt that it is the correct guy.;)
 
Last edited:
Quick return on this one ...

Martin, the picture in your latest post (#7), is exactly the same as in your very first, from back in 2016 (see #1, same picture found both in the first and second links)!

However, and now I might be sticking my chin out (even if this guy/bird isn't one of "mine"), but ...

battyi as in
• Brown-backed Dove Leptotila battyi (OD in #1), as "Leptoptila [sic] battyi", no dedication, nor any explanation, nothing. Thereby simply following the clues given in all the earlier posts in this thread...

Which make me think that we have to consider another possible (more likely?!?) candidate, that (in my mind) would/could/might be:
Batty, Joseph H. O. was born in 1850 according to a Massachusetts vital record for Springfield, Volume 42, Page 279. 9,552,619
Check the source file (free) and then check Archives for Joseph H. O. Batty.

[here, keep scrolling, beyond "Joseph BATTY born 3 Sep 1847", there are several guys by the same names, in this list!]​
Or? Also see here.

If so (!?): not to confuse with his Father Joseph H. Batty (born 1825), nor with his Older brother Joseph Batty (1847–1848). And; note the Mother's name; Henrietta ...

To me the claimed birth year (in this thread) of "1847" looks like it could/might be a mix-up with his poor brother, who seems to have died as an infant.

This far, simply based on contemporary, ornithological references in/from/around Rothschild (and onwards) I wouldn't dare to say more than it's commemorating the US collector Joseph H. Batty (who died in 1906; "killed instantly by the accidental discharge of his gun ... May 26, 1906).

Too many uncertainties regarding his Birth for my taste.

For whatever it's worth.

Björn

PS. As always: don't hesitate to prove otherwise!

And sorry to disturb the prevailing consensus. ;)
--
 
Last edited:
Joseph H. Batty

In the article A taxidermist's Researches in the Wilds of Colombia, published in The Independent, "Vol. LIV, New York,Thursday, July 3. 1902" (here) he is "James H. Batty" .... !?

Must be an error, mustn't it?

Same Engraving, on p.1593 (looks like it's made from/after a Photo!), as in/at the end of the (Spanish) Taxidermidades blog (link in Martin's #7), though see foot-note (6) in the same blog, in reference to the same article; "Por un error en el nombre de pila el articulo apareció firmade por James H. Batty." Also note the ending foot-note (18): "... Por entonces tenía unos 55 ãnos. Fallecería con 58."

Thereby, the question mark remain (at least in my mind, supported by Google translate); when was he truly born?

/B

PS. If nothing else; it´s an intersting account of Mr Batty's Colombian adventures.
 
Joseph H. O. Batty
Birth13 Sep 1850 Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, USA
DeathMay 26, 1906 Pijijiapan, Chiapas, Mexico
FatherJoseph Hannay Battie (1816-1868)
MotherHenrietta Greene Ferre (1824-1880)
Note the O in his initials looks like a C in the handwritten birth record but else where is an O. His father's middle name is Hannay not Henry so there is a good chance his middle name was the same.

The mystery of the Joseph Batty born on 3 Sept 1847 is easily solved. He died on 4 Sept sadly (attached).
 

Attachments

  • 41262_B139005-00279.jpg
    4 MB · Views: 4
  • record-image_ (15).jpg
    661.5 KB · Views: 4
Last edited:
Warning! This thread is more than 2 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top