Subject: [Tweeters] Who was Temminck?
Date: Nov 12 21:30:04 2005
From: Geopandion at aol.com - Geopandion at aol.com


Salutations Tweeters,

After viewing the Temminck's Stint yesterday, and having seen a Temminck's
Courser this past summer in Tanzania, I was curious as to whom the bird was
named after. A "google" search turned up this information:
Coenraad Jacob Temminck (March 31, 1778 - January 30, 1858) was a Dutch
aristocrat and zoologist. Temminck was the director of the National Natural
History Musurm at Leiden from 1820 until his death. His "Manuel d'ornithologie,
ou Tableau systematique des oiseaux qui se trouvent en Europe" (1815) was the
standard work on European birds for many years. he inherited a large
collection of bird specimens from his father, who was treasurer of the Dutch East
India Company.
A number of birds and a mammal were named for Temminck, including
Temminck's Stint (of course), Temminck's Courser, Temminck's Lark, Temminck's
Cormorant, Temminck's Pangolin (a Scaly Anteater), Temminck's Babbler, Temminck's
Tragopan ( a type of pheasant), Temminck's Sunbird, Temminck's Seedeater, and
Temminck's Roller.

All of this, notwithstanding, it was a great bird to see.

George Gerdts
Bainbridge Island
geopandion at aol.com