The shifting Ladies Ross's and "their" Turaco … (1 Viewer)

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Here´s a little question … regarding:

● Ross's Turaco Musophaga rossae GOULD 1851 a k a "Lady Ross's Touraco"," Lady Ross's Turaco", "Lady Ross's Violet Turaco" or "Lady Ross's Violet Plantain-eater" etc. etc.

In Jobling's Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird names (2010) it is stated:

"rossae Lady Anne Ross (d. 1857) wife of British explorer Rear-Adm. Sir James Ross (Musophaga)."

…which I assumed was the the fairly unknown British Lady Ann Ross, born Coulman (1817–1857), whose first name sometimes is written Anne – wife of the British explorer and Naval Captain; Sir James Clark Ross (1800–1862)*, commemorated in the common name Ross’s Gull for Rhodostethia rosea.
*Not to be confused with (I think? I haven´t checked the Gull) his uncle Sir John R. Ross (1777–1856), also a famous Arctic explorer.

But according to HBW Alive (2014-08-12) this rossae instead commemorates …

"Lady Eliza Solomon Ross née Bennett (d. 1890) second wife of Maj.-Gen. Sir Patrick Ross (d. 1850) Gov. of St. Helena 1846-1850 (Musophaga)."

… which I assume is the even less known Mrs. Ross, ("second") wife of Major-General Sir Patrick Ross (1777–1850), Governor of Saint Helena between 1846 and 1850.

I don´t say it´s wrong, I´m just curious, but does this mean that the first claim was clearly erroneous? That I traced her in vain? Did the former Lady maybe (not that I´ve found any such statement) never visit St. Helena?

The type description (attached) doesn´t point in either way, more than in just the St. Helena direction … Link to full volume (here), 1851, p.93.

How come this entry was changed?

Anyone know? Maybe the amender himself, James?

 

[l_raty]

Did the former Lady maybe (not that I´ve found any such statement) never visit St. Helena?

I won't pretend that I know... But it seems that we would not "just" need someone who "visited St. Helena". The text says that the bird had been in her possession on this island for the previous ten years. She must have lived there.

 

[James Jobling]

After having read Gould's original description ("in the possession of Lady Ross, at St. Helena") I changed the rossae entry for my MS and HBWAlive Key a while ago. I am still ploughing my way through my MS, and, by extension, the Key, identifying names that need further enquiry, amending, amplifying, correcting as I go along (currently in P, but I update exalphabetically if anything catches my eye, or an interesting item appears in BirdForum).

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

James and Laurent, I agree!

So, let´s forget about Lady Ann, or Anne, Ross, born Coulman (1817–1857), and her connection to either one of the Arctic Exploring Sir Ross's …

I won't pretend that I know... But it seems that we would not "just" need someone who "visited St. Helena". The text says that the bird had been in her possession on this island for the previous ten years. She must have lived there.

Laurent, she sure did! She was even born there!

This Lady Ross was a tricky one to figure out, but ok, I now think I understand who she was and how her name came to be …

James (and everybody else), I have thereby amended my entry as follows:

● Ross's Turaco Musophaga rossae GOULD 1851 a k a "Lady Ross's Touraco"," Lady Ross's Turaco", "Lady Ross's Violet Turaco" or "Lady Ross's Violet Plantain-eater" etc. etc
= the fairly unknown British [i. e. "Saint Helelenian"] Lady Ross – whose maiden name was Eliza Bennett (1818–1890).

She was born the 27th of December 1818 on St Helena. Her parents was both British. Her father was the British Army Captain James Bennett (1773–1835) of the St. Helena Foot Regiment. He was born in Southwark (today part of central London), England. And Eliza's mother was (his second wife) Eleanor (1780–1860), born in Alton, Hampshire. More details, earlier marriages and genealogy, see link (here).

As a curious fact could be worth mentioning that the The Bennett Family's Dinner Table, the only solid, large-enough wood piece on the Island, was turned into the coffin for the Islands most famous "guest", the exiled Emperor Napoleon!

Eliza's first husband was the South African Colonial Surgeon and Health Officer Henry Solomon (1806–47) who died at Saint Helena. Thereby she became Eliza Solomon. After she became a widow, in 1847, she met another recent mourner, the 40 years older(!) widower, the newly installed Major-General Sir Patrick Ross, from 1846 Governor of Saint Helena, whom she married In 1848 – thereafter becoming (the second) Lady Ross. [The first wife, or the first Lady Ross, who Sir Ross had lost the same year as Eliza lost her husband was Amelia Ross (born Sydenham, 1788-1847), who´d married Major General Sir Patrick Ross back in 1805. She was daughter of General William Sydenham.]

But Eliza's luck didn´t last. On the 28th August 1850, his "Excellency Major-General Sir Patrick Ross, [1778*–1850], G.C.M.G., K.C.H., Governor of St. Helena"; died in his 73rd year.
*Most sources claim he was born in 1778. I was too quick in my post No. #1 … not knowing what to believe.

Shortly after Sir Ross's death she travelled to England, where she handed over those Turaco feathers to John Gould. See type description Post No. #1.

And she did apparently go back to Saint Helena, as she Eliza (still locally a k a Lady Ross) died at "Maldivia House", in "Maldivia Garden" (somewhere in the vicinity of Jamestown), Saint Helena – the 30th of July1890, in the age of 71.

[Not to be confused with Eliza Mary Bennett (1857–1947) who took over the same House, shortly after the death of her namesake.]

If Eliza "Bennett/Solomon/Ross" kept her promise to John Gould and if he ever got his hand on the Turaco specimen itself … I do not know.

However, we´ve got her! And "her" Turaco.

Lady Ross … over and out!

 

[l_raty]

If Eliza "Bennett/Solomon/Ross" kept her promise to John Gould and if he ever got his hand on the Turaco specimen itself … I do not know.

Seems she did: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/title/8584#page/264/mode/1up

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

So she did!

Good on her!

PS. Also see Grant 1915 (here)