Gene Eisenmann

Michael Gochfeld gochfeld at eohsi.rutgers.edu
Wed Apr 3 07:38:25 EST 2002


What Doug says about Gene is absolutely true.  But if the word "hated" is
offensive, let me re-phrase it.
Gene believed that English names of birds should not include patronymics and went
to great lengths to expunge such names from the pioneering checklist he prepared.

Not many people got into the field with Gene except in Panama.  I had the good
fortune to be in the field with him twice. However, during my years at the AMNH I
saw him almost daily.  Often we were the only two who stayed late in the
evening.  We talked extensively about birds, birding, birders and conservation.

He was all the things Doug says he was, as well as a crucial pioneer in
Neotropical ornithology and conservation.  Several books that he gave me from his
personal library are still cherished possessions.

When Joanna and I were married Gene came to our wedding party.  We have a picture
of him on that day----the last picture since he died a few days later----much too
young.

I never heard Gene discourse on butterflies. But neotropical biology is richer
for his endeavors and he played an important role in Panamanian conservation
which, sadly may come to naught as Panama exploits the formerly "untouched"
riches of the Canal Zone now in its hands.  MIKE GOCHFELD

MexicoDoug at aol.com wrote:

> En un mensaje con fecha 04/01/2002 7:31:52 PM Central Standard Time,
> gochfeld at EOHSI.RUTGERS.EDU escribe:
>
> << By the way, Gene Eisenmann of the AMNH, who assembled the first
> comprehensive list of  Central American bird species, hated patronyms and
> went to great lengths  to contrive English names, hopefully descriptive, that
> were not based on a person's name.>>
>
> Hi Mike G, While there may be some truth in what you say, I suspect your use
> of the the word 'hated' regarding Gene would not be well received by him.  I
> don't have any first hand knowledge, but your mention of him got me curious
> if he was the same birding partner my parents spoke fondly of when they had
> more get-up-and-go and were a bit younger (50 years ago).  Indeed he was
> their good friend and they frequently were a birding trio.  Dad mentions he
> was a brilliant attorney :-), staunch conservationist, and expert on
> Panamanian bird nomenclature.  He sorely misses Gene, and says Gene's
> attitude was of mutual respect, and that he was the furthest thing from being
> obnoxious.  Sounds to me like some of today's "experts" on this list and
> elsewhere do have a lot to learn from Eisenmann indeed.
>
> Saw 19 species of butterflies in the high montane region nearby here in
> Mexico, so summer is here.  Too bad the winter was so dry.  That is usually
> bad news...
>
> Doug Dawn
> Monterrey, Mexico
>
>
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