Serinus canicollis thompsonae Roberts, 1924 (2 Viewers)

[Taphrospilus]

Serinus canicollis thompsonae Roberts, 1924 OD here p. 186

The Eponym Dicionary of Birds claims:

Cape Canary Serinus canicollis thompsonae J. A.Roberts, 1924
Mrs. L. C. Thompson (DNF) was the wife of Dr Louis Thompson (q.v.)

The Key to Scientific Names

Mrs L. C. Thompson (fl. 1924) wife of South African collector Dr L. C. Thompson (subsp. Serinus canicollis).

The husband according The Eponym Dicionary of Birds

Crested Francolin Dendroperdix sephaena thompsoni J. A. Roberts, 1924 NCR
[JS Dendroperdix sephaena zambesiae]
Dr Louis C. Thompson (b .1877) was an English collector in Damaraland South Africa.

According to The Key to Scientific Names:

Dr Louis Clifford Thompson (1877-1955) English collector in South Africa (subsp. Dendroperdix sephaena).

OD here p. 78

Type: T.M. No. 13033, collected, and donated by Dr L. C. Thompson, at Grootfontein, S.W.A. Protectorate, July, 1916. "Iris brown. Bill black . . Legs dark vermilion."

If for his wife what is her name and what are the life dates? Can we definetely say it is for his wife?

 

[PScofield]

Seems weirdly impersonal and a bit disappointing especially when the wifes name was
Edith Awdry 'Googoo' Eastwood (2 January 1895–2 August 1991)

She has a biography: https://www.amazon.com/Between-Woodbush-Wolkberg-Brigitte-Wongtschowski/dp/1869190114


An interesting paper that explains her honorific in a plant species:

https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/17729/Figueiredo_Who%27s(2011).pdf

It would seem it was Googoo that was the naturalist not Louis.

 

[Taphrospilus]

I assume him here is a son.

Anyway Louis Clifford Thomson was born 24.6.1877 and died 2.3.1950. They married 25.1.1916.

 

[PScofield]

Yes Martin that is a son but that entry highlights a much more significant problem:

"Thompson, Sheila Clifford (Box) (1917-1998)

see

Thompson, Sheila Clifford (Box) (1917-1998) on JSTOR

plants.jstor.org

"Box" was Googoo (Awdry) 's daughter and a very keen naturalist herself and, as she was alive in 1924, it is difficult to see how you can determine to whom Roberts dedicated this honorific (unless he mentions it in later publications).

Aloe thompsoniae in the reference I link to above is straightforward at the OD says "is eers versamel deur Mev. Dr. Thompson na wie dit heet"

The common name for Serinus canicollis thompsonae Roberts, 1924 chosen by Roberts clearly indicates the right family "Woodbush Cape Canary" but that is about as far as we can go....Perhaps the biography tells us more. Perhaps it would be best to state "for either Googoo or Box Thompson or even both!"

Roberts clearly was "a bit of a fan" of Googoo he named Graphiurus platyops eastwoodae Roberts, 1913 - a rock dormouse after her prior to her marriage. About the cutest little animal you could imagine.

P

 

[Taphrospilus]

Do you think he would dedicate the name to a 7 years old girl with the last name. I would expect for this case something like sheilae. For me very unusual a child in context with last name. As well I ask myself if for gramatical reason it may possible to be a second dedication for Louis Clifford. Remember discussions like e.g.

Just a little remark. If a name is commemorating a person and has an -ae ending, this does not automatically mean it's a woman! If the name of that person ends in an -a the author is almost free to use whatever ending he choses. Think of names like Costa (costae and costai are both acceptable). (see ICZN art 31).

Theo

 

[PScofield]

An edit
Louis Clifford Thompson
Born
24 June 1877
Bristol City & County Lunatic Asylum, Stapleton, Gloucestershire (yes that is correct! His father was the superintendent there)
Died
2 March 1955
Pietersburg Hospital, Transvaal, South Africa

Yes this is what we have but when I started this post a family website told me 1878- 1954. I have now seen birth and death certificates and the dates above are correct.