Thunberg, 1791

[Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX]

Yes, it is quite sad that it is so difficult to access both old literature
and type material of butterflies in the age of digital data storage and
instant digital transfer of information. The people who work in major
libraries and major museums are nice people and no doubt they work hard but
these publicly funded institutions are in my opinion generally doing a
miserable job of making information available to the community that funds
them. As far as the museums are concerned it would seem to be a high
priority to provide images of at least the holotype part of the type
spectrum.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Gatrelle [mailto:gatrelle at tils-ttr.org]
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2001 11:02 PM
To: Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX; 'lepsl'
Subject: Re: Thunberg, 1791



----- Original Message -----
From: "Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX" <Norbert.Kondla at gems3.gov.bc.ca>
Subject: Thunberg, 1791


> Well of all the strange things --- browsing on the web it has come to my
> attention that the correct authorship of a number of butterfly species
> attributed to Thunberg, 1791 may actually belong to Becklin, 1791.  It
> appears that C.P. Thunberg was merely the editor of "Dissertatio
> entomologica sistens insecta Svecica" and Becklin was the actual author
of
> the butterfly names.  Naturally this is worth following up to see which
is
> correct. Does anyone have access to this ancient publication ?? If so
please
> have a look and drop me a line to explain which authorship is correct and
> why. Thank you.

The focus of Norbert's inquiry here is correct -- the original publication
needs to be seen and read (by Norbert or someone who knows what to look
for) to see how the then new names were attributed.  It is not enough to
just know the code.   Neither is it enough to just have the publications.
In researching these old names ones must both have the papers and know the
code.   What an asset it would be for all these ancient publications to be
copied and made available over the internet in pdf files.  Being 2001, we
taxonomists should not have to go to, or pay, the few museums that have
some of these rare works to see/get copies of the ODs.  Putting this stuff
on line would also mean that the librarians would never have to open these
delicate rare old books again.  It would save the books and provide the
researchers with the needed information.

Ron Gatrelle

 
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