Mr. Higham's Pheasant Coucal ... and the "Dictionary"
Let´s have a look at yet another obscure Eponym supposedly claimed as solved (at least partly) by Beolens
et al ... this time regarding:
highami as in:
• the subspecies
Centropus phasianinus highami MATHEWS 1922 (
here) as "
Polophilus phasianinus highami" ... no dedication, nor explanation.
According to the
Eponym Dictionary of Birds (2014), as well as today's
HBW Alive Key (
!), this Eponym commemorate the British Bird Photographer and aviculturist "Walter Ernest Higham (fl.1936)" ... [i.e. Walter E. Higham, W.E., F.I.B.P., F.R.P.S, M.B.O.U., F.Z.S., he´s the Author of several Bird Photo books, no years found], but I´m not at all convinced it does!
The "Type" was "brought back from Australia by Mr. Tom Carter" (according to Mathews) "Collected on Glenflorrie, Ashburton River, Mid-West Australia", but Johnstone, Burbidge, & Darnell 2013 (
here, p.400) gives us the additional info:
The type specimen of this subspecies was collected by J.B. Higham on Glenflorrie Station on 4 Sept. 1921.
Once again I think we´be been led astray by the
Eponym Dictionary of Birds!
Now I´m truly getting fed up with this far, far too often erroneous book. Sigh!
However, also see the
News and Notes pages in
Stray Feathers 54, 1954,
here:
The Governor in Executive Council has appointed Mr. J. B. Higham, of Narrogin, as a Member of the Committee for the unexpired term of the late Major H. M. Whittell. Mr. Higham has been a member of the R.A.O.U.[*] for many years. He accompanied the late Tom Carter on his last collecting trip through the south-west.
To me it sure looks like
J. B. Higham is the guy!
Who he was? I haven´t got a clue!
Any of our Australian friends that can fill in the gaps?
And don´t hesitate to prove me wrong!
Björn
________________________________________
*R.A.O.U. =
Royal Australian Ornithologists Union