What did Monsieur Sonnerat do to deserve a Junglefowl of his own? (1 Viewer)

[Björn Bergenholtz]

As I basically focus on the Etymology of the Common Bird names in Swedish I´ve only tried to understand one, just one, of the Birds commemorating Sonnerat … the other sonnerati/sonneratii Birds have completely different names in Swedish.

And as far as I understand there is little doubt that Grey Junglefowl Gallus sonneratii TEMMINCK 1813 a k a "Sonnerat's Junglefowl " commemorates the French Naturalist and traveller Pierre Sonnerat (1748*–1814).

*Some sources claim he was born "…vers 1745" (about 1745) in Lyon, but all agree that he died in Paris 1814?!

This Junglefowl was described in: Temminck, J. 1813. COQ ET POULE SONNERAT. Histoire Naturelle Générale des Pigeons et des Gallinacés II : s 246-252. (attached, in this and Post #2) … and there I´m at a dead end. Since my knowledge of French is, to say the least, meager I have´nt got a clue why!?

I can only hope for anyone of you French knowing Bird Forum readers to explain what the type description says. Is there any part, or just an odd sentence, that explain how this bird came to be "his"? I Can spot his name in the first sentence on Page 246, and after that, here and there in the following six pages … but that doesn´t help me. I´m lost.

What did he do to deserve such an honour?

PS. According to Jobling (2010) the same Sonnerat is also commemorated in:
● Banded Bay Cuckoo (Penthoceryx) Cacomantis sonneratii LATHAM 1790.
● Greater Green Leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati JARDINE & SELBY 1827.
● … and the invalid "Strix sonnerati" TEMMINCK 1823 (Syn. with today's; White-browed Hawk-owl Ninox superciliaris VIEILLOT 1817).

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Continuation of Post #1

... and the last two pages.

 

[JustinJansen]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Sonnerat
Many specimens in Paris, but also at Leiden, from his journeys.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Thanks Justin, yes, I´ve seen that one, but it still don´t explain his particular connection to the Junglefowl?

The important how, when and why ... what he did to deserve this "his" Junglefowl, is still unanswered.

Anyone knows?

 

[l_raty]

The first part (first two pages) of Temminck's text says roughly:

"Standing firmly by the assumption that the wild Fowl and Hen species, that he discovered in the vast and solitary forests of India, is the real type of our domestic Fowls, and particularly of the Village Fowl race, Sonnerat rejects as conjectures the opinion of Gemeli Carreri, Morella, Dampier, and Sonnini, about the existence of wild Fowls, on the islands of the Indian archipelago, as well as on the new continent; this traveller seems to pride himself someway of his discovery, as if he had found this unique species to which, according to the opinion of almost all the naturalists contemporary to him, the various races of our domestic Fowls owe their origin.
It is to support this opinion, that Sonnerat does not accept that of other travellers. I have already refuted in the "discours", this wrong assumption that naturalists have nourished up to this day, and the more detailed history that I have presented about this bird genus proves that it is composed of a quite significant number of different species, some of which we propagate in domesticity.
My intention is to prove that Sonnerat was wrong to establish the conspecificity of his wild Fowl from the Ghats and the race of Village Folws, and that he was oddly mistaken when considering this species found by him in a free state, as the true type of all the races of our domestic Fowls."​

This is followed by a detailed description of the bird, that is intended to prove it to be a different species than any domestic fowl.

Sonnerat discovered the bird in the Ghats, and publicized it as the fowl of the origins. See [here] for what he wrote, and two plates.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Thanks Laurent!

What should we do without your kind help!

I looked a bit further ... and I now feel pretty safe to claim:

= Pierre Sonnerat (1748–1814). Born in the French city Lyon on the 18th of August 1748, and he died in the same city the 31th of March 1814.

A more detailed account of Sonnerat's life and particularly his travels is found in: Morel, J P. 2013. Eléments biographiques sur Pierre Sonnerat
Premières années sous le regard de Pierre Poivre. (here)

That´ll do the trick!

Sonnerat ... over and out!

 

[Taphrospilus]

Cacomantis sonneratii (Latham, 1790) OD v.1 (1790) - Index ornithologicus, sive, Systema ornithologiae - Biodiversity Heritage Library
Chloropsis sonnerati Jardine & Selby, 1827 OD v.2 (1826-1835) - Illustrations of ornithology - Biodiversity Heritage Library
Gallus sonneratii Temminck, 1813 OD t.2 (1813) - Histoire naturelle generale des pigeons et des gallinaces - Biodiversity Heritage Library
Strix sonneratii Temminck, 1820 v.2 (1838) - Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées d'oiseaux - Biodiversity Heritage Library maybe v.1 (1838) - Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées d'oiseaux - Biodiversity Heritage Library makes it valid?
Barita Sonneratii Lesson, RP, 1831 t.1 (1831) - Traité d'ornithologie, ou, Tableau méthodique des ordres, sous-ordres, familles, tribus, genres, sous-genres et races d'oiseaux - Biodiversity Heritage Library
Charadrius sonneratii Gray, GR 1871 OD pt.3 (1871) - Hand-list of genera and species of birds - Biodiversity Heritage Library => SY. Anarhynchus mongolus (not in the key)???
Picus sonneratii Lesson, RP 1831 OD t.1 (1831) - Traité d'ornithologie, ou, Tableau méthodique des ordres, sous-ordres, familles, tribus, genres, sous-genres et races d'oiseaux - Biodiversity Heritage Library
Psittacus sonnerati Gmelin,JF 1788 OD https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/83109#page/340/mode/1up

The Eponym Dictionary of Birds

Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii Latham, 1790 [Syn. Penthoceryx sonneratii]
Sonnerat's Junglefowl Gallus sonneratii Temminck, 1813 [Alt. Grey Junglefowl]
White-browed Hawk Owl Strix sonnerati Temminck , 1820 NCR [JS Ninox superciliaris]
GreaterGreen Leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati Jardine & Selby , 1827
Pierre Sonnerat (1748-1814) was a French explorer, naturalist and collector. He wrote Voyage à la Nouvelle Guinée (1776), although he never set foot on the island (only landing from a ship called Isle de France on nearby islands). He also wrote Voyage aux Indes Orientales et à la Chine (1782), both books being illustrated with engravings taken from his own drawings. He brought back many natural history specimens and other curiosities, which were exhibited by the Crown. He also recognised that India and China were the seats of ancient civilisations, writing about the former: 'We find among the Indians the vestiges of the most remote antiquity ... We know that all peoples came there to draw the elements of their knowledge India , in her splendour , gave religions and laws to all the other peoples ; Egypt and Greece owed to her both their fables and their wisdom ...' Sonnerat discovered the junglefowl on his voyage to the Far East (1774-1781).

https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/key-to-scientific-names/search?q=sonnerat

Pierre Sonnerat (1748-1814) French naturalist, traveller (Cacomantis (ex "Petit Coucou des Indes" of Sonnerat 1782, and "Sonnerat's Cuckow" of Latham 1787), syn. Charadrius mongolus, Chloropsis, syn. Cracticus cassicus, syn. Dinopium psarodes, Gallus, syn. Ninox superciliaris, syn. Psittacula eupatria (ex “Perruche à collier de l’isle de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Blue-collared Parrot” of Latham 1781)).

Björn mentioned in his MS many diffewerent claims about his birth year e.g.

Sonnerat, Pierre (1749-1814) [Dal, 1996]

Pierre Sonnerat född [born] 18 augusti 1745 ... [Swedish Wikipedia, 2025 (14th January), based on the encyclopedia Nordisk familjebok, 2nd Edition, 1917]

At least what can contribute is https://archives.paris.fr/arkothequ...ontrast=0&uielem_isinverted=0&uielem_rotate=F p. 17 of 28. He died in Paris and not in Lyon.

So it looks like he was 65 years old at his death 31. Mar. 1814. This makes 1748 or 1749 possible. So why not 18 August 1748. But surely born in Lyon. But maybe here will someone come to a different conclusion.

 

[PScofield]

The reference in Post #6 gives

- Le 18 août 1748 : Naissance à Lyon de Pierre Sonnerat, parrain Pierre Poivre, « subrécargue des vaisseaux de la Compagnie des Indes ». (Vrai : Reg. paroissiaux St Nizier, 1748, f°105v°)

This record is here

https://www.fondsenligne.archives-lyon.fr/v2/ac69/visualiseur/etatcivil.html?id=690004526

(pg 105 bottom of left page)

I also found a birth registered on 2 Jan 1848 (attached) but these are the wrong parents with no relationship to Pierrer Poivre.