The German Herr Hoffmann and "his" Parakeet … (1 Viewer)

[Björn Bergenholtz]

As far as I understand I think there is little doubt that:
● Sulphur-winged Parakeet Pyrrhura hoffmanni CABANIS 1861 a k a Hoffmann's Parakeet" or "Hoffmann's Conure"
● Hoffmann's Woodpecker (Centurus) Melanerpes hoffmannii CABANIS 1862
… commemorate the German explorer, naturalist and collector Doctor Carl (sometimes written Karl) Hoffmann (1823–1859), who died, of Typhoid fever, in Costa Rica – only 36 years old.

Both those Birds where described by the German ornithologist Cabanis in 1861respective 1862, in a long series of articles titled "Uebersicht der im Berliner Museum befindlichen Vögel von Costa Rica", published in parts, in Journal für Ornithologie 1860–1862.

In the Introduction chapter JfO 8 (No. 47) pp. 321-322 (Attached, or; see full volume here).

Cabanis starts with the following lines:

”In den letzverflossenen Jahren haben einige preussische Reisenden, die Herren Dr. von Frantzius, Dr Hoffmann und Dr. Ellendorf im mittelamerikanischen Staate Costa Rica mannigfache zoologische Gegenstände gesammelt und neuerdings ziemlich umfangreiche, wissesschaftlich sehr interessante Sendungen an das hiesige Zoologische Museum gemacht.”

And a bit further down (next page):

”Bevor wir indess zur speciellen Aufzählung der Arten übergehen, haben wir mit aufrichigem Bedauern mitzutheilen, dass der Tod dem rastlosen Eifer des Dr. Hoffmann, leider zu früh für die Wissenschaft wie für seine Freunde, bereits ein Ziel gesetz hat!”

With only limited knowledge of German I hope that anyone of Bird Forums readers feel like translating those quotes for me!? If so, please as accurate as possible, as I would like to quote them myself in Swedish. And don´t hesitate to remark on any errors that I might have done transcribing them.

Anyone of our German knowing friends "out there" feel like having a go?

And is there anything more in this text, more than those quotes, regarding Mr. Hoffmann and "his" Birds?

 

[kitefarrago]

Quote 1:

"In recent years a few Prussian travellers, Misters Dr von Franzius, Dr Hoffmann and Dr Ellendorf have collected, in the middle-American country Costa Rica, manifold zoological objects and recently have sent fairly comprehensive, scientifically very interesting, consignments to the local zoological museum."

Quote 2:

"Before we indeed move to the specific list of species we have to give notice, with sincere regret, that death has put an end to the tireless zeal of Dr Hoffmann, sadly too early for both, science and his friends."

I'm afraid there's nothing else about him in the two pages you attached.

Andrea

 

[Taphrospilus]

Carl Hoffmann (1823-1859) and it might be worth to check for him in herpetology/geology as well.

 

[njlarsen]

The link is not readable in this location. Isn't Carl with C somewhat unusual in German?

Niels

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Corrections and amendments …

Thanks guys!

First of all; Andrea, thanks for the German translations. And Martin, I couldn´t open that link either, but didn´t need to (the same info is easily found elsewhere). And, last; Niels, thanks for the alert of the Carl vs Karl issue (as I understand it Karl is the most common form in German, but the more posh or "classical" Carl is far from unusual). However; it sure made me curious and took me quite a bit further …

Thereby I´ve changed my entry as follows:
● Sulphur-winged Parakeet Pyrrhura hoffmanni CABANIS 1861 a k a Hoffmann's Parakeet" or "Hoffmann's Conure"
● Hoffmann's Woodpecker (Centurus) Melanerpes hoffmannii CABANIS 1862

= the Prussian explorer, naturalist and collector (of various Naturalia; plants, birds, insects, mammals, reptiles, geological samples etc. etc.) Doctor Karl Hoffmann (1823–1859) whose full name also (sometimes) was written Karl Hoffmann Brehmer (his father was Anton Abraham Friedrich Hoffmann and his mother Julie Brehmer) – his First name, in other languages and context's, primarily English, often interpreted as Carl. In Costa Rica where he also had time to practice medicin his name even, also by himself(!), was written "Carlos Hoffmann".

Born 7 December 1823 in Stettin, Prussia (today's Szczecin, Poland) … and he died 11 May 1859, of Typhoid fever, in Puntarenas, Costa Rica – only 35 years old alt. not even 36 years old.

Disclaimer: Although I haven´t found any official document as Birth alt. Death certificates.

That´s it! If no-one can prove me wrong:

Hoffmann … over and out!
-----------------------------

For anyoune curious … here´s some (there´s quite a few more) of the references, that made me change my mind:

Quirós, H. L., 2006, Karl Hoffmann: naturalista, médico y héroe nacional. Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad.

Also see this link to the German National Library Deutsche Nationalbibliothek or the US Library of Congress and his two(!) entries on JSTOR Global Plants (here & here) + AFEHC (Asociación para el Fomento de los Estudios Históricos en Centroamérica).

Or even Wikipedia; in German, English, and French (although only a translation av its English version) and even Russian!

Also take a look at the: Pupulin, F. & A. Karremans. 2008. The strange story of Hoffmann's two Epidendrums. Lindleyana; in Orchids Magazine - The Bulletin of the American Orchid Society. 77 (6): 454-457. Attached as pdf, including the only known Photo of Mr. Hoffmann (Brehmer).

He does look older than he ever got, doesn´t he!? Time sure took its toll in those years ...

Cheers!

 

[Taphrospilus]

The Eponym Dictionary of Birds claims:

Hoffmann's Conure Pyrrhura hoffmanni Cabanis, 1861 [Alt. Sulphur-winged Parakeet]
Hoffmann's Woodpecker Melanerpes hoffmannii Cabanis, 1862
Steely-vented Hummingbird ssp. Saucerottia saucerrotei hoffmanni Cabanis & Heine, 1860 [Syn. Amazilia saucerrottei hoffmanni]
Hoffmann's Antthrush Formicarius analis hoffmanni Cabanis, 1861 [Black-faced Antthrush ssp.]
Slaty-tailed Trogon ssp. Trogon massena hoffmanni Cabanis & Heine, 1863
Carl H. Hoffmann (1823–1859) was a German physician. He went to Costa Rica (1853) with Alexander von Frantzius (q.v.) and began to explore the country and collect mainly botanical specimens. He was later a physician to the Costa Rican army. A mammal and a reptile are named after him.

The Key to Scientific Names

Dr Carl Hoffmann (1823-1859) German explorer, naturalist, collector in Costa Rica 1854-1859 (subsp. Amazilia saucerottei, subsp. Formicarius analis, Melanerpes, Pyrrhura, subsp. Sporophila ophthalmica, subsp. Trogon massena).

So a couple more than the two mentioned for him.

• Hemithylaca hoffmanni Cabanis & Heine, 1860 OD here
• Trogon massena hoffmanni (Cabanis & Heine, 1863) OD here
• Formicarius hoffmanni (Cabanis, 1861) OD here
• Sporophila corvina hoffmanni Cabanis, 1861 OD here

Apart from birds

• Choloepus hoffmanni Peters, 1858 OD here
• Geophis hoffmanni Peters, 1859 OD here

Would not be surprised if we find his name as well in plants if he collected mainly botanical specimens.

Here we can read that he was born 7 December in Stettin. It seems according the Wikipedia pages already mentioned above that he died 11 May 1859 in Puntarenas.

I assume the additional H. (middle name) in The Eponym Dictionary of Birds may derived from this author here Heinrich Carl Hermann Hoffmann, professeur à Giessen who wrote ZUR SPECIESFRAGE VON M. HOFFMANN , PROFESSOR DER BOTANIK AN DER UNIVERSITÄT IN GIESSEN . ( Natuurkundige Verhandelingen der Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen , 3de Verz . Deel II , No. 5 ) .

But feel free to proved me wrong and explore any additional possible middle names.

 

[Xenospiza]

Hoffmann is of course a very common name in Germany, but this genus could well be named after him: Hoffmannia - Wikipedia
There is a botanist called O. Hoffmann as well.

 

[Taphrospilus]

Good try but OD here is from 1789 far before his birth. Even worse there seems Hoffmann, Carl(Karl) (1802-1883) active in botanic.

 

[PScofield]

His grave supports what's stated

Dr Karl Hoffmann Brehmer (1823-1859) - Find a...

www.findagrave.com

 

[l_raty]

Good try but OD here is from 1789 far before his birth.

The dedicatee there is "Celeb. G. F. Hoffmann", who wrote about "Historia Salicum", "Enumeratione Lichenum", "Vegetabilibus cryptogamis" &c., which makes him Georg Franz Hoffmann, 1760-1826.