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Ambassador Macartney's Fireback (Pheasant) (1 Viewer)

Björn Bergenholtz

(former alias "Calalp")
Sweden
Short question: Does somebody know who's commemorated in the scientific name ...

macartneyi as in:
• the somewhat debated Bornean/Crested Fireback ssp. Lophura ignita macartneyi TEMMINCK 1813, as "Gallus Macartneyi (here, all in French):
... á Lord Macartney Ambassadeur Anglais auprès l’Empereur de la Chine, lors de son séjour à Batavia. ...

Anyone?

And does it say anything additional of what he'd done, why he was given this mark of honour?

Björn

PS. For more info on the twists and turns of this tricky taxon, see the Paper; Lophura ignita macartneyi revisited, by Collar & Prys-Jones, in Forktail 30: pp.135-138 (2014), here. But, hold on to your hats, its history includes interbreeding of both species and subspecies, clines, forms and hybrids.

For even more of the history behind it see Büttikofer's Paper; On Phasianus ignitus and its nearest allies, from 1896 (here).
 
Current Key entries;
Macartneya
(syn. Lophura † Crested Fireback Pheasant L.ignita) George 1st Earl Macartney (1737-1806) British diplomat, colonial administrator, Envoy to Russia 1764-1768, Chief Secretary for Ireland 1769-1772, Gov. of the British Caribbees 1776-1779, Gov. of Madras 1781-1786, Ambassador to China 1792-1794, Gov. of Cape Colony 1796-1798 (cf. specific name Gallus macartneyi Temminck, 1813 (= syn. Lophura ignita)); "CCVI.e Genre. MACARTNEY; Macartneya. Houppifère, Temm., Cuv.; Gallus, Temm., Vieill. ... MACARTNEY IGNICOLORE; Gallus Macartneyi, Temm., Gall., t. III, p. 663; Gallus ignitus, Vieill., Gal., pl. 207; Phasianus ignitus, Lath., Fire-Backed pheasant, Macartn., Amb. en Chine, trad. franç., t. I, p. 323; Shaw, Nat. misc., pl. 321" (Lesson 1831).
macartneyi / macartnyi
George 1st Earl Macartney (1737-1806) British diplomat, colonial administrator, Envoy to Russia 1764-1768, Chief Secretary for Ireland 1769-1772, Gov. of the British Caribbees 1776-1779, Gov. of Madras 1781-1786, Ambassador to China 1792-1794, Gov. of Cape Colony 1796-1798 (syn. Lophura ignita x).
 
Thanks "Rollie" (or "Roland from Holland"), and James, for quick replies :t:

Both all in line with what I guessed/assumed, just wanted to be sure, a bit more safe ...

And does it say anything additional of what he'd done, why he was given this mark of honour?

Björn
 
Cette belle espèce de Gallinacé dont l'on n'a que des descriptions très succintes, a été indiquée en premier lieu par fin Georges Staunton, d'après un individu qui fut offert à Lord Macartney Ambassadeur auprès de l'Empereur de la Chine lors de son séjour à Batavia. C'est dans l'imposibilité où je me trouve d'indiquer le nom que les Sumataranois donnent à cette espèce, que je lui conserve celui de l'illustre Ambassadeur à qui, nous devons les premiers détails concernant ce magnifique oiseau.
= "This beautiful species of Gallinaceous of which we have only very succinct descriptions, was first indicated by ['fin' -- this word makes no sense here; probably 'Sir' was intended] Georges Staunton, after an individual which was offered to Lord Macartney Ambassador to the Emperor of China during his stay in Batavia. It is in the impossibility where I find myself to indicate the name that the Sumatranese give to this species, that I retain for it that of the illustrious Ambassador to whom we owe the first details concerning this magnificent bird."


Temminck next mentions that Latham had indicated this bird in the Supplement to his Synopsis -- which will be this: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33261240

Latham in turn based his account on "Fire-backed Pheasant of Java", in:
Emb. to Chin. i. p. 246. pl. 13. -- the text is this: https://books.google.com/books?id=cP1cAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA246 ; I don't find the accompanying plate volume online, but this particular plate should be this: https://smhttp-ssl-53905.nexcesscdn.net/catalogue_images/auction//xlarge/12874-1_1.jpg
Nat. Misc. 9. pl. 321 -- https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40319199

"His Excellency the EARL OF MACARTNEY, Knight of the Bath, His Majesty's Embassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Emperor of China" (https://books.google.com/books?id=uv1cAAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover )
 
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Thanks Laurent, for yet another quick and elaborate reply!

I will print, and read it all, but I´m pretty sure this is more than enough!

I sure loved the word 'Plenipotentiary' ...

Again, thanks guys; Rollie, James and Laurent. This was definitely a quick one!

Cheers

Björn
 
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