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The Eponym Dictionary of Birds (2 Viewers)

And later (The Emu XXII, 1923) he´d moved, some 200 km, to Freemantle (WA):

I think it is the other way round he moved from Freemantle to Narrogin as the EMU Volume (I linked) where it is written that he was member since 1917 is from 1944. Any relationship to this family here? Just a guess. Or relative to John Joseph Higham here e.g. one of his five sons? But looks like no of the five sons fit J.B. here.

According to EMU 1977 p. 42 and 44

On the first night his party slept at Una but because there were seventeen visitors there (among them the grazier-ornithologist Jack Higham, of Glen Florrie, who was to become a firm friend and companion later) he had to sleep in the store.

and

In connexion with the former he was made deputy to his old grazier-ornithologist friend J. B. Higham, as a member of the old Fauna Protection Advisory Committee (1955) and in 1968 he took the place of Higham when he retired, as a full member of its successor, the Western Australian Wildlife Authority.
 
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Either way, regardless of his various addresses ;), here´s some additional info (clearly linking him to Mr. Carter), getting the highami entry even better, a little bit more complete!

In 1923 Thomas "Tom" Carter himself wrote, on p 221, in The Ibis, in a Paper titled Supplementary Notes on some Birds from Western Australia and from Dirk Hartog Island (pp.218-228):
Polophilus phasianinus highami.

Mathews, Bull. B.O. C. xliii. 1922, p. 13.
This fine and interesting Coucal was not obtained by myself, but kindly given to me bv Mr. Jack B. Higham, who shot it on Glenflorrie Station, Ashburton River, Western Australia, 4 September, 1921.
Enjoy!
 
The West Australian (Perth, WA) of 28 July 1941 [here] reported on the funerals of Mrs Maud Mary Higham, widow of the late Harry James William Higham, "formerly of Nanutarra Station". Among the chief mourners was a son named John B. Higham. (Jack is a diminutive of John in English.)
The members of Harry James William Higham's family are buried in the Fremantle Cemetery, pictures [here], where a tombstone [here] is marked "In Loving Memory of John Bateman Higham, 1898-1982".

PS - In the Government Gazette, W.A. of 30 April 1954 [here], I see a reference to a "Higham, John Bateman; Narrogin." -- this seems to fit his known displacements, thus.
PPS - Still in the same Government Gazette, W.A., but of 18 July 1958 [here], John Bateman Higham's appointment as a member of the Fauna Protection Advisory Committee is approved by the Governor. Compare to the second Emu quote in [Martin's post #41] above.
 
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polatzeki

I assume HBW key entry....

polatzeki
Capt. Johann Polatzek (1839-1927) Austrian ornithologist, collector in the Canary Is. 1902-1905, and Balearic Is. 1910 (subsp. Alaudala rufescens, Fringilla, syn. Galerida theklae).

... derived from here as entry was not present in Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names.

I am wondering if birth 1839 is correct as e.g. here the birth year is 1838. Unfortunately here we only know he was in his 89th year (so both is possible) in 1927. Here they wrote around 1838. I am wondering about a reliable source dating his birth 1839 or 1838. Maybe Biogr. Notiz. Orn. Mber. 35, 1927, S. 95. gives us a hint.
 
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Polatzek, hmm ... looks more Hungarian to me (or of Hungarian Heritage). He could maybe be a; (Johan, János) Polatsek, Polátseck, Polaseck, Polazek, etc. If he was? I sure don´t know. Here I´m simply thinking out loud. If of any help?

And regarding "Austrian", remember at the time those birds was descibed (1904-1912) Austria and Hungary was one joint country, between 1867 and 1918 (i.e. a constitutional union); Austria-Hungary a k a Austro-Hungarian Empire (Österreich-Ungarn). It´s quite possible that even if born in the Hungarian parts of that Empire he was believed to have been Austrian.

• the subspecies*Alaudala rufescens polatzeki HARTERT 1904 (here) as "Calandrella minor polatzeki" a k a "Polatzek's Short-toed Lark"
• the debated species (or subspecies) Fringilla (teydea) polatzeki HARTERT 1905 (here) as "Fringilla teydea polatzeki" a k a "Polatzek's Blue Chaffinch"
• the invalid "Galerida theklae polatzeki" HARTERT 1912 (here, also commented here) a k a "Polatzek's Crested Lark" and "Polatzeki's" (!?) [... but in spite of Harterts own view, today a synonym of nominate subspecies].

However; he was a Tring correspondent between 1901 and 1911, at that time living in Vienna (Wien), here.

That´s all I can find on this guy. Good luck finding his birth!

Björn

PS. Also (if you understand Spanish) the Paper; AVES ESPAÑOLAS CON NOMBRES DE PERSONA (II): una nueva especie ibérica dedicada a una mujer, Thekla Brehm (Galerida theklae Brehm, 1857 [1858]) (II), by Abilio Reig-Ferrer 2012, might be worth a look, here. He (and the latter, invalid lark) is mentioned on pp. 3-6, also in that paper claimed to be born in 1838.

If he truly was, is beyond me ... ;)
-
 
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Polatzek, hmm ... looks more Hungarian to me (or of Hungarian Heritage). He could maybe be a; (Johan, János) Polatsek, Polátseck, Polaseck, Polazek, etc. If he was? I sure don´t know. Here I´m simply thinking out loud. If of any help?

You might be right and he might be born in Nagyléta today part of Létavértes if we look here or here as Polatzek János or here as Polatzek János államhivatalnok (Government official).
 
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The Australian field naturalist Mr. Clifton was/is most likely a Sheep and Cattle Station!

I doubt cliftoni ever was intended to be an eponym, but instead a toponym, as in:

• the invalid "Dacelo leachii cliftoni" MATHEWS 1912 (here) a k a "Pale Fawn-breasted Kingfisher"... however no dedication, nor explanation, in Mathews's usual way [synonym of Dacelo leachii occidentalis GOULD 1869].

The only clue: "Type, Carnavaron, West Australia ..."

... most likely the huge sheep and cattle station Clifton Downs, upper Gascoyne River, WA (established by Robert Edwin Bush as Pindandora Station in the 1880's, a k a "Clifton Downs", in 1920 reverted to Bidgemia Station), about 170 km East of Carnavaron

See here and here.

For what it´s worth!

Björn
 
I agree. Maybe the W. in The Eponym Dictionary of Birds derived from W. Clifton, Bristol? The W in there I would Interpret as well as a location as West Clifton, Bristol (which seems to be not related at all to this bird). Otherwise I do not have any explanation how the came to the conclusion W. Clifton (fl. 1912).
 
beavani

Apart that the key has one more synonym with Beavan's Kingfisher (Alcedo beavani) Walden, 1874 I think The Eponym Dictionary of Birds is not correct with Dicrurus leucophaeus beavani Walden, 1867 instead Vauri 1949 would be correct. See here p. 243-246 where he described the history behind the name. Here he wrote:

Discussion: Walden, who had made an extensive study of the drongos with a view to publishing a monograph on this family (said monograph apparently never reached publication), was of the opinion (1866) that the birds of the Himalayas were distinct from those of the rest of peninsular India and that accordingly they should be described and named. This was done two years later by Beavan (1868) from birds collected on June 2 at Simla. In acknowledgment of Walden's suggestion he called the new form Buchlanga waldeni. Bhuchanga, howrever, has since been merged under Dicrurus, and B. walkeni Beavan (1868) will need a new name as it is preoccupied by Dicrurus waldenii Schlegel (1866) for the Mayotte Drongo. As B. waldeni Beavan never received an adequate description and the present whereabouts of the type is uncertain, I thought it would be preferable to fix a definite type and to redescribe the populations of eastern Afghanistan and the lower Himalayas as a new form, which I have done as Dicrurus leucophaeus beavani.
 
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Martin, maybe I'm being picky today, ... ;)

... but I would say that in this (sub-)forum The Eponym Dictionary of Birds is correct, regarding the etymology itself, if it´s Walden or Vaurie seems more of an issue for our friends on the Bird Taxonomy and Nomenclature forum ...

Either way: well spotted!

/B
 
Now I am a little bit confused about Beavan. There seems to be a brother Reginald C. Beavan. I assume (but do not know) that Schistura beavani is dedicated to him. But how can we know with dedications R. C. Beavan who the author had in mind? Ok one was interested in fish the other in birds. Maybe captain versus lieutenant?

And to make it even more confusing here all articles are attributed to Reginald C. Beavan 1843-1927 here. And Reginald existed.

Anyway it is not clear to me how we come from Captain R. Beavan, F.R.G.S. to Reginald C. Beavan. I feel a mixture of Robert Cecil Beavan or someone introduced the C from Captain/Colonel. Anyway the brother was an ornithologist
 
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Martin, the case of the (old) English Common name "Beavan's Bullfinch", for Pyrrhula erythaca BLYTH 1862 (OD here, in text), is very vague.

That´s the only bird Commemorating a "Lieutenant Beavan" that I have in my MS, where my conclusion was that this Common name is aimed at either one of the two English Army officers (both; Lieutenant, Captain); Robert Cecil Beavan (1841-1870) or his younger brother Reginald C. Beavan (1843-1927) ... the latter ended up Lieut. Colonel. How and why the Eponym Dictionary of Birds decided for the older brother is all beyond me.

Either way, and this I must add, I didn´t dig very far on "Beavan's Bullfinch", as it´s Swedish name today is gråhuvad domherre (in line with its modern English name Grey-headed Bullfinch). None of the other beavani birds are mentioned in my MS. They, all subspecies or synonyms, could be worth having a second check ... but (unfortunatelly) it I haven´t got the time.

If you, or anyone else, dig into it, and find anything contradictory (or additional) regarding the scientific names, contra whats told in today's HBW Alive Key (below), please keep us updated.
beavani
Capt. Robert Cecil Beavan (1841-1870) British Army in India, ornithologist (cf. his brother Lt. Reginald Beavan (fl. 1873) British Army in India, sportsman, collector) (syn. Alcedo meninting rufigastra, syn. Dicrurus leucophaeus longicaudatus, subsp. Periparus rubidiventris, subsp. Prinia rufescens).
Cheers!

Björn
--
 
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The Beavan brothers. Having revisited the name beavani and read the original descriptions I have reached the conclusion that Alcedo, Dicrurus and Prinia were named after Capt. Robert Beavan, and that Periparus was named after Lt. Reginald Beavan. I shall re-edit the Key accordingly.
 
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I cannot tell either way ... this said, after a quick look (couldn't keep my fingers away) ...

Ensign Reginald Beavan in 1860, here, became Lieutenant Reginald Beavan, 1st of January 1862, who became Captain Reginald Beavan, on 4th of May 1872 (here), who became Major Beavan 4th of May 1880 ... and onwards; Colonel and Lieut. Colonel.

Or Robert Cecil Beavan, who became Lieutenant 1st of March 1859, here ... sigh.

Why the Tit is Reginald's (or not) is beyond me.
--
 
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If still of any interest ...

The Birdmen of India (Edited by Bikram Grewal), here, tell us:
R C Beavan's (1841-1870)
Captain Robert Cecil Beavan served in India for 10 years. During his short life he collected specimens of birds and eggs from various locations and contributed notes to the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. His collection of eggs and birds is kept at the Natural History Museum. In 1864, Beavan worked at Barrackpore and spent the winter of that year in the Maunbhoom district. His notes on this period were published in the Ibis entitled Notes on various Indian Birds. He also collected in the Andaman Islands and, with additional information from Colonel Tytler, wrote The Avifauna of the Andaman Islands in the Ibis in 1867.
The species Pyrrhula erythaca, first collected by him, was called Beavan's Bullfinch and is now named Grey-headed Bullfinch. The Rufescent Prinia was earlier called Beavan's Wren Warbler. The East Himalayan race of the Rufous-vented Tit is called Parus r beavani
And the Obituary of "Mr Robert Cecil Beavan, Lieutenant ..." is found here.

Interestingly, in The Birds of St. Helena: An Annotated Checklist, by Rowlands et al, 1998 (here), he is mentioned as:
"Captain Robert Cecil Beavan, a Lieutenant in the Bengal Staff Corps, called at the island for two days in ..."
[...]
"Robert Cecil Beavan, (Captain), Lieutenant, Bengal Staff Corps, 2 days in [Feb-Mar] 1867, on homeward voyage, medical furlough. Born 14 Aug 1841; in service, India, 14 Dec 1858 to 21 Jan 1867, from ..."
However I cannot find when (or if?) he became Captain (alt. Brevet-Captain) ...

For what it´s worth.

Björn

PS. Also note this "Permission ... to return to his duty", from 1834! Indicating there's also a second (earlier) Lieut. Robert Beavan!?
 
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