Governor Ussher, and "his" Birds ... (1 Viewer)

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Here's a long look at (and a few short questions, at the end of it, about) the guy behind the following names (in chronological order) ...

ussheri (and Ussher's) as in:
• the Mottled Spinetail Telacanthura ussheri SHARPE 1870 (here), as "Chætura ussheri":

The type-specimen was shot by Mr. Ussher himself at Fort Victoria, Cape-Coast Castle.

In the intro itself we're also told (on p.471):

... Lastly, and after I had finished with the other four collections, a second consignment of bird-skins from Governor Ussher has reached me, just in time to record in their proper places the species it contains. During his recent visit to the river Volta he was so good as to take a collector; and I feel sure that all ornithologists will be thankful to him for this proof of zeal in the good cause, as through his endeavours we have now some information about the ornithology of a hitherto unexplored locality. ...

... a k a Ussher's Spinetail, alt. Ussher's Spine-tailed Swift (as well as, according to Avibase); Mottled Spinetail Swift, Mottled Spinetailed Swift, Mottled-throated Needletail, Mottled-throated Spinetail, Mottled-throated Swift, Mottled-throated Spine-tailed Swift, alt. Mottle-throated Needletail, Mottle-throated Spinetail, Mottle-throated Spinetailed Swift! Wow!


• the Rufous Fishing-Owl Scotopelia ussheri SHARPE 1871 (here):

In a collection recently sent to me from Fantee by His Excellency Governor Ussher I have received many interesting birds, ... a new species of Scotopelia which I propose to call, after Mr. Ussher, the discoverer of this fine novelty ...

... a k a Rufous-backed Fishing-Owl, alt. Ussher's Fishing Owl, or Ussher's Fishing-Owl.


• Ussher's Flycatcher Artomyias/Bradornis/Muscicapa ussheri SHARPE 1871 (here), as "Artomyias ussheri":

Hab. Fantee. Collected by Governor Ussher.
[...]
... Mr. Ussher shot the type specimen himself at Abrobonko, on the 14th of January 1871. “It was killed,” he writes, “on a dead limb over the stream, whence it chased insects and returned.”

... earlier a k a Usshers flugsnappare (in Swedish), hence my interest, even if we Swedes nowadays call it svalflugsnappare (meaning Swallow Flycatcher).


• the fairly recent split, earlier debated (as either species, or subspecies) Black-crowned Pitta Erythropitta ussheri GOULD 1877 (here), as "Pitta ussheri" – with a nice Plate on the preceding page) [thereafter also known as Pitta (granatina) ussheri]:

It is satisfactory to naturalists to find that Governor Ussher, whose zeal in the cause of science led to the discovery of so many rare and interesting birds during his residence on the west coast of Africa, has become Governor of the island of Labuan, where fresh zoological fields for his energy await him.
[...]
Mr. Bowdler Sharpe, to whom the specimens were consigned by his friend Mr. Ussher, has named the species after the latter gentleman; and it gives me great pleasure to add my appreciation of the important results contributed by His Excellency to our knowledge of birds.

... a k a Black-and-crimson Pitta, Black-headed Pitta, Black-and-scarlet Pitta, or Black-crowned Garnet Pitta,alt. Sabah Pitta.

The same name/bird was also used/described by Sharpe himself, the very same year (here):

... Governor Ussher sent a Pitta, which is undoubtedly new to science, ...

• the (Brown-crowned) Tchagra/Bushshrike ssp. Tchagra australis ussheri SHARPE 1882 (here), as "Laniarius ussheri", no dedication, no explanation, but according to the Richmond Card (here) "Named for Gov. Herbert Taylor Ussher."


• the invalid (Garden Warbler!?!) "Muscicapa ussheri" SHARPE 1882 (here, alt. here):

My late friend Governor Ussher, during his last visit to the Gold Coast, which terminated so fatally for him, devoted considerable time to collecting birds, as was his wont; ...
[...]
Nevertheless a few birds have arrived in London bearing labels in the late Governor’s handwriting; and certain of them have been offered for sale to the British Museum, which has acquired some of the most interesting specimens. As these were offered by most respectable agents, who had acquired them in the ordinary way of business, there is not the slightest proof that they formed part of the late Governor's large collection; for they may very probably have been given away by him before his death, and have been thus disposed of in England. They were all birds of dull coloration ; but amongst several others of interest there appears to be one Flycatcher which is undescribed, and which I propose to call after my late friend, to whom I myself and ornithologists generally were so much indebted for his exertions in collecting, often in countries where the climate rendered the task one of considerable difficulty and danger.

Collected in "Feb., 1880", by "H. T. Ussher", according to the Richmond card, here.

As well (reported/reprinted, in English) in Journal für Ornithologe 1884 (here, but there the specific/species name was typed with a Capital letter), as "Muscicapa Ussheri"

⚠️ NOT to confuse with the bird we today call Ussher's Flycatcher Artomyias/Bradornis/Muscicapa ussheri SHARPE 1871 (i.e. the third Bird above).

Also see Richard Bowdler Sharpe's own comment, in The Ibis, 1901 (here):

... I have also to state that my Muscicapa ussheri (P. Z. S. 1882, p. 591) is nothing but a Garden-Warbler, as my friend Capt, Shelley has pointed out to me. The typical specimen is in full moult, and therefore there was no chance of recognising the proportions of the primaries, while the plumage looks very pale and peculiar. ...

• the (Lesser) Honeyguide ssp. Indicator minor ussheri SHARPE 1902 (here), as "Indicator ussheri":

Typus ex Fantee (H. T. Ussher: Mus. Brit.).

• the (Gold Coast) Tit-Hylia ssp. Pholidornis rushiae ussheri REICHENOW 1905 (here, in text), as "Ph. [Pholidornis] ussheri":

Sonach wird Ph. bedfordi mit Ph. rushiae zusammenfallen, während die Form von der Goldküste, falls sie ständig durch mattere Strichelung des Unterhalses unterschieden sein sollte, einen neuen Namen bekommen müsste und nach dem ersten Sammler passend Ph. ussheri zu benennen wäre.

• the invalid (Honeyguide) Greenbul ssp. "Andropadus indicator ussheri" BANNERMANN 1920 (here):

Collected by Ussher at Fantee.

Well, that's it!

That's all of the Birds I can find commemorating Governor Ussher.

And, now it's time for the query itself ...

– to be continued –​

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

After all of "his" Birds ... here's the actual/main reason for this lengthy thread:

When (exactly) was Ussher born?

And, what was his full name?

In today's Key we find him as [my blue bold]:

ussheri
Herbert Taylor John Ussher (1834-1880) British diplomat at the Gold Coast 1866-1872, Gov. of Labuan, Borneo 1875-1879, Gov. of Gold Coast 1879-1880 (Artomyias, syn. Baeopogon indicator leucurus, Erythropitta, subsp. Indicator minor, subsp. Pholidornis rushiae, Scotopelia, syn. Sylvia borin, subsp. Tchagra australis, Telacanthura).

In my notes (and MS) I have him as:

... the Nature-interested, British Civil servant/Diplomat/ Colonial Administrator Herbert Taylor Ussher (1836–1880), serving as Administrator/Governor on the Gold Coast, Africa (1866–1872), Governor of Tobago, in the Caribbean/West Indies (1872–1875), and in/on Labuan (a British Crown Colony), off NW Borneo, Asia (1875–1879), thereafter he (again) returned, for a final visit at (as Governor for) the Gold Coast (June 1879–1880) [on all locations he collected various Naturalia (like exotic Birds, Fishes, Butterflies, etc. etc.) for different Museums "back home", in Europe (mostly for Richard Bowdler Sharpe, and the British Museum)].

... which was (mostly) in line with Jobling's Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names (Helm, 2010), expept for the Tobago part (compare with the excerpt below):


... and as such he stayed, also in the dear old (today defunct) HBW Alive Key (at least until late March of 2020), the only changes was some added taxa:

ussheri
Herbert Taylor Ussher (1836-1880) British diplomat at the Gold Coast 1866-1872, Gov. of Labuan, Borneo 1875-1879, Gov. of Gold Coast 1879-1880 (syn. Baeopogon indicator leucurus, Bradornis, Erythropitta, subsp. Indicator minor, subsp. Pholidornis rushiae, Scotopelia, syn. Sylvia borin, subsp. Tchagra australis, Telacanthura).

... which remained, exactly as such, also in the BoW Key:

ussheri
Herbert Taylor Ussher (1836-1880) British diplomat at the Gold Coast 1866-1872, Gov. of Labuan, Borneo 1875-1879, Gov. of Gold Coast 1879-1880 (syn. Baeopogon indicator leucurus, Bradornis, Erythropitta, subsp. Indicator minor, subsp. Pholidornis rushiae, Scotopelia, syn. Sylvia borin, subsp. Tchagra australis, Telacanthura).

... all the way until the 16th of October 2021 when it was suddenly changed into today's version (above).

I suspect that this was due to (alt. as a result, or a resulting effect, of) Mark's post #2, in the thread Apaloderma narina constantia Sharpe & Ussher, 1872 (here). Or?

Either way, also note that Zoonomen [in the Author (Auctor) Index] has him as (nothing but):

Ussher, Herbert Taylor

Governor​

Gold Coast of Africa​

And, in any case, also note the different (shorter) version of his full name in today's Key entry for Miss Ussher:

constantia
Constance Julia Davenport née Ussher (1855-1944) daughter of British diplomat Herbert Taylor Ussher in the Gold Coast (subsp. Apaloderma narina).

Thus ...., was "John" truly a part of his full name, or not?

Elsewhere (on-line) the same Governor, Herbert Taylor Ussher, [at times also written (or misspelt) "Usher"(!)], has been mentioned as "CMG" (Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George), and as such, surely the (full) name, and years, of such an 'important', official guy ought to be (well) known? Or possible to find?

According to many (most?) texts he seems to have been born in: "1836", also claimed (exactly) "22 April 1836", as well as "Baptized October 5" (both events said to have happened in London, England).

🧩​

Also see; Wikipedia here (alt. here), Bionomia here, or ETYFish Project here (uploaded 19 December 2024, see top of page 6):

Marcusenius ussheri (Günther 1867) in honor of Herbert Taylor Ussher (1836–1880), Deputy Assistant Commissary-General, Lagos, on the Bossumprah River, Gold Coast (now Ghana), who collected holotype

The latter (fish) is also listed on FishBase itself (here):

Eponymy: ... Herbert Taylor Ussher (1836–1880) was, variously, the Governor of the Gold Coast (Ghana), the Governor of Tobago, and Consul-General in Borneo.

Apparently, he's also remembered in the name of the Ussher Fort (here), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in today's Ghana, Africa.

Also note that The National Archives (here) has him as:

Ussher, Herbert Taylor, (1836-1880), Colonial Governor

Thereby, the question/s remain:
Was "John" truly a part of his (full) name, and, exactly when (and where) was he born ... ?

Or, is the Key indeed (just about) the only single (searchable) source "out there" (i.e. on-line), that has got Ussher's full name (and his Birth year) correct ... !?!

Any official records seen (preferably a Birth Record)?

Grateful for any assistance on this one ...

Björn

PS. Either way, he's certainly not to confuse with Harold Bench Usher (1893–1990), commemorated in completely different Birds, see the Key [for the somewhat shorter Scientific name usheri] here (or here, No.6). That guy wasn't even born when most of the Birds above were discovered/collected, or described.

 

[PScofield]

Herbert Taylor John and 1836.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Thanks Paul, excellent!

Even if I (still) wonder why all those Authors (also of the ODs) doesn't seem to be aware of the J./John part. Maybe he simply didn't use it himself?

Either way, it really doesn't matter. Now I have what I need.

In my notes I will keep him as: Herbert Taylor Ussher (1836–1880), with the added part: "... whose full name, by Birth/Baptism, was Herbert Taylor John Ussher", British Colonial Administrator, Governor of ... and onwards, as shown above.

In short: Born 22 April 1836, at (the) Albany, London, Son of Eliza, and Thomas Neville Ussher (his Father, of Irish Heritage, seems to have been: "H. M. Chargé d'Affaires, and Consul-General of Hayti", at least according to here), and onwards, etc., etc. ... until he died in/at Accra, on the Gold Coast [today the Capital of Ghana] in early December 1880 (probably on the 1st, not the 2nd, of December 1880 as claimed by today's Wikipedia), at the age of 44.

Also see here, or/and here.

Thanks again!

Ussher ... over and out!