[obol] bird names (was "Steller's...")

[Jeff Gilligan]

John Cassin (1813 to 1869) is considered to have been America's first
serious bird taxonomist.  He was a Pennsylvania Quaker who collected the
first scientific specimen of the Philadelphia Vireo (not surprisingly in
Philadelphia).  He was associated with the Philadelphia Academy of Natural
Sciences.  Although he never visited the west, his name is associated with
various western birds because of his taxonomic work at the academy.  He is
said to have given his life to ornithology, in that he suffered from arsenic
poisoning resulting from the handling of specimens that had been treated
with arsenic.

On 8/15/07 2:18 PM, "Wink Gross" <winkg at hevanet.com> wrote:

> Doesn't Cassin hold the record in NA?
> 
> Vireo, Kingbird, Finch, Auklet, Sparrow.  A quick Google image
> search also turned up a Cassin's Honeyguide.  Are there more?
> 
> Who was he/she, anyway?
> 
> Wink Gross
> Portland
> 
>> 
>> Back to birds: There are at least three bird species -- Jay, Eider, and Sea
>> Eagle -- named after Steller. Are there any other birds named after him?
>> Alexander Wilson has at least four birds named after him (Warbler,
> Phalarope,
>> Plover, Storm-Petrel)....
>> 
>> 
>> Dave
> 
> 
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