The Eponym Dictionary of Birds

Have you ever wondered who was Pallas* (as in the warbler and sandgrouse and several other forms) or Penelope* (as in the scientific name of the Wigeon)? This book contains the answers for these and for all other bird names which are named after people (either first names or surnames). Bird names covered include both English vernacular and scientific names, and do include races. It also notes a few birds which appear to be named after someone but which are not.

Twenty to thirty years ago Barbara and Richard Mearns wrote three books containing biographies of a few of these people of a few pages each. This new one mentions them all, firstly listing all the various forms which are named after the relevant individual (and it includes some now defunct and suppressed names) and then has a few lines on each person concentrating on those who are less well-known. Also the comments are sometimes quirky and not just the bare facts of life and career.

It has produced a fascinating book to dip into and is a major labour of love, the authors often having gone back to the original description where the etymology was explained. They have failed to find an actual person for only 17 names which is an astonishing achievement, though several of these refer to female first names where a describer may have named a form after a distant relative or perhaps acquaintance.

 *Peter Simon Pallas was an 18th Century, German born, Russian zoologist who also has some mammals and both a reef and a volcano named after him; Penelope was the wife of Odysseus in ancient Greek mythology.

 

Book reviewed by Peter Lack

buy this book

---