If so (and, note; this far, I've seen nothing talking against it, neither pointing elsewhere, or clearly telling us otherwise), thus, I can only gratulate and applaud you, Paul! 🏆 Well done, and
thanks! 
That's what I would call a well-kept 'Kiwi secret' (or, maybe in more appropriate English; a New Zealand ditto); long, too long, well-hidden, or since long-forgotten, now suddenly brought to light, for all of us ignorant to learn. Hopefully it will also find its way into other texts, and slowly trickle, or ooze, into the minds of a wider audience, entering common knowledge, also among Ornithologists, worldwide.
And, just for the fun of it, on top of the earlier mentioned English names (in #3) the same sad taxon is a k a; Stephens Island Rockwren, or ditto Bushwren, also (in even more odd versions, like) Stephe
n Island Wren, Ste
ve
n Island Wren, and Ste
ven
s Island Wren alt. simply Stephens Wren ...
!
In Swedish (after having used, and/or tried, different versions, in similar ways, based on the name of the Islands itself) we have now, for some whatever reason, settled for the composite (and, to me, somewhat gibberish-looking) name:
lyallklippsmyg (from the earlier, in my mind far better, version;
Lyalls klippsmyg)
.
Like they say: "We have many names for the things we love" ... even on (or for) a little, tiny brownish, (probably/possibly) flightless, far-away Wren, gone since the mid-1890's (or maybe that's simply/actually the very reason for its many epithets).
...
The cats name was Tibbles.
...
Nope, I don't think so. That statement (or/alt. such an assertion) seems to be nothing but a News paper canard/whim (and as such,
not to be re-told without reservation, or explanation). The name of the singular Cat (or the Cat's name), is most likely just a popular Myth, invented by a journalist (simply to get a better story, a feeling of closer to home). In those days (in the early/mid 1890's) there seems to have been several cats, not only one, running around the Lighthouse on Stephens Island. Today the Cats are gone from Stephens Island (Takapourewa), all exterminated, just like the little Wren (even if not, of course, totally gone, like the Wren, from all the World, for ever and eternity).
Also note that sub-fossil remains of the same Wren have also been found on mainland New Zealand (where it's believed once to have been widespread). There it seems to have been Rats responsible for the extermination.
Either way, it's a (or yet another) sad story of mankind suddenly invading virgin soil ... with disastrous results.
...
I have no idea if born 1822 and even less idea when David Lyall died. So I give this case to the more skilled audience and assume Paul knows or will find the answer. New Zealand is a home game ...
To me, it looks like Beolens
et al simply mixed up the Birth years between Father and Son (or at least, if so, very close to). And you (sure) assumed right! Paul knew.
...
More on the bird e.g. in
- Galbraith, R.; Brown, D. 2004. The tale of the lighthouse-keeper’s cat: discovery and extinction of the Stephens Island wren (Traversia lyalli). Notornis 51: 193-200.
- Millener, P.R. 1989. The only flightless passerine; the Stephens Island wren (Traversia lyalli: Acanthisittidae). Notornis 36: 280-284.
If anyone is curious on those two certain Papers, they are both digitized and accessible (in full);
here resp.
here (and note that the latter PDF shows the full issue of
Notornis 36, Part 4, incl. Millener's Paper, just scroll until you reach p.280).
Either way; enjoy!
Björn
PS. Also thanks to Martin, for bringing it up ... this topic, the Wren, and all of it!
PPS. In my MS I also have a short comment/reminder; the dedicatee is
not to be confused with the Scottish botanist Dr David Lyall (1817–1895), explorer and collector (mostly of Plants) in North America, Australia and New Zealand (and well as in/on Antarctica ... whatever he could find there, of Plant life).
/B
