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Mr Edgar A. Mearns, and "his" Birds (1 Viewer)

Björn Bergenholtz

(former alias "Calalp")
Sweden
Here's a short question regarding the very well-known (US) Ornithologist; Edgar A. Mearns, Field naturalist, collector, articipated in numerous collecting expeditions incl. the United States-Mexican International Boundary Survey, Philippine Islands Expedition, Smithsonian-Roosevelt African Expedition, and the Childs Frick Expedition, Founding member of the American Ornithologists' Union, Honorary Associate in Zoology at USNM, (*) etc., etc.. ... commemorated in many mearnsi Birds.

In today's Key this (and those) eponym/s is/are explained as:
mearnsi
Lt.-Col. Edgar Alexander Mearns (1858-1916) US Army 1883-1909, surgeon, collector in Mexico 1892-1894, the Philippines 1903-1907, and tropical Africa 1909-1911 (Aerodramus, subsp. Agelaius phoeniceus, subsp. Colaptes chrysoides, subsp. Cyrtonyx montezumae, subsp. Junco hyemalis, subsp. Lanius ludovicianus, syn. Macronus striaticeps mindanensis, syn. Melanerpes formicivorus, subsp. Orthotomus frontalis, subsp. Toxostoma cinereum, syn. Turtur afer, subsp. Zenaida asiatica).
MEARNSIA
(Apodidae; Ϯ Philippine Spine-tailed Swift M. picina) Lt.-Col. Edgar Alexander Mearns (1858-1916) US Army 1883-1909, surgeon, collector in Mexico 1892-1894, the Philippines 1903-1907, and tropical Africa 1909-1911. "dd. Size smaller (wing less than 170 mm., the wing relatively very long); tenth (outermost) primary distinctly shorter than ninth; distance from tips of longest secondaries to tip of longest primary much more than two-thirds the total length of wing; tail only one-sixth as long as wing, the longest coverts reaching nearly to its tip; no white on under tail-coverts or flanks. Mearnsia (extralimital).e ... eNew genus. Dedicated to Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, U. S. A., not only in recognition of his valuable services to ornithology, but also as a token of the author's high esteem. (Type, Chætura picina Tweeddale.)" (Ridgway 1911); "Mearnsia Ridgway, 1911, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, pt. V, p. 686. Type, by original designation, Chaetura picina Tweeddale, 1879." (JAJ 2020).
Synon. Papuanapus.

Contrary to this, the Obituary, in the Auk 35 (1), of January 1918 [here], tells us:
IN MEMORIAM: EDGAR ALEXANDER MEARNS.
Born, September 11, 1856 — Died, November 1, 1916.

Thus; was he born in "1858", or in "1856" ... ?!?

Only one Birth year can be correct. ;)

Anyone?

Björn


*According to (Division of Birds) Hall of Fame, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2022), here.

PS. James, all the other ones in this Hall of Fame are in accordance with the Key.
 
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Also note that (for example) Rzedowski, et. al (2009)*, in a Paper about some (Plant) collectors, active in Mexico, has him as:
MEARNS, Edgar Alexander (1856-1916), Mexico militar y naturalista norteamericano ...

As far as I can tell he seems to have been born in 1856 (i.e. 11 September 1856, in Highland Falls, New York, USA).

Anyone who thinks otherwise?

Also note that Zoonomen (here) has him, fairly (read; very, very) detailed, as:
Mearns, Edgar Alexander 1856-1916
US Army; Nat Mus
Born: Sept. 11, 1856; Highland Falls, near W. Point, NY, at Grfather's house.
Grandfather: Alexander Mearns: born Aberdeen, Scotland 1786.
Came to NY in 1805. Settled Highland Falls 1815. Alexander b. 1823.
Parents: Alexander and Nancy Reliance (Clarswell) Mearns.
Education:
Donald Highland Institue (Highland Falls)
Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons (graduated 1881)
1882 took and passed examination to enter Army Medical Dept.
Publications:
1878 (aet. 16) First paper "The Capture of several Rare Birds
near West Point, N.Y." Bull. Nuttall Orn. Club III Jan. 1878 p.45-46.
In this paper he acknowledges information from his friend,
Mr. Theodore Roosevelt.
125 titles.
Married: 1881; Miss Ella Wittich of Circleville, Ohio.
Childred: Louis di Zerega Mearns ( b. Nov. 5, 1886, Fort Verde, Ariz.
d. April, 1912; Balt. MD);
Lillian Hathaway Mearns
Personal: "frail of build" 5'4"; 140 lbs.
Military Service:
Commissioned Dec. 3 1883 Assist. Surgeon; 1st Lt.
Fort Verde Ariz. 1884. under command of Gen. Crook who
accompanied Mearns on some collecting expeditions.
1888-1891, 1903 Ft. Snelling, Minn.
1891: Medical officer with Mexican-U.S. Int. Boundary Comm.
Fort Meyers, VA
1897-98 Fort Clark, TX
1898: Comm. brigade surgeon (later chief surgeon) Volunteers Sp.-Am War; Major.
1899: March, 22 honorable discharched
1899-1900: Ft Adams, RI
1900: Nervous breakdown (? complicated by malaria?). 3 months leave.
1901: Feb; Surgeon; Major.
1902: Ft. Yellowstone
1903-1904, 1905-1907: Phillipines.
1904: San Francisco to recover from "parasitic disorders"
1905: visited Guam.
1907: Ft Totten, NY "it was at Ft. Totten that he became aware of
the presence of the disease that finally brought his career to an end."
1909: Retired Jan. 1. Lt-Col.
1909: Joined ex-President Roosevelt on East Africa trip.
1911,1912: Returned to Africa.
Died: Nov.1 1916, Walter Reed Hosp.

Björn

PS. Earlier (way back in 2014) dealt with in thread Some additional etymological information – Part VII, here (see No.10).


*Rzedowski, J., G. Calderón de Rzedowski & A. Butanda. 2009. Los principales colectores de plantas activos en México entre 1700 y 1930. Instituto de Ecología, A.C. y Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad. Pátzcuaro (Michoacán). 144 pp.
 
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Remember already dealt earlier with:
No. 10 – mearnsi in …
● the subspecies "Mearn's Montezuma Quail" Cyrtonyx montezumae mearnsi NELSON 1900: "It is named for Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, U. S. A., in recognition of the great amount of zoölogical work he has done in the region which it inhabits.” a k a "Mearns's Harlequin Quail" or just "Mearns's Quail"
= the fairly well-known US ornithologist, Doctor Edgar Alexander Mearns (1856–1916), Army Surgeon between 1883 and 1909 (stationed in Mexico 1892–1894) – one of the founders of AOU (American Ornithologists’ Union)

And just for the fun of it (attached) … a photo of the latter; Edgar A. Mearns!
 

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