Clench and dos Passos

[Michael Gochfeld]

I never met Harry Clench, but knew his wife Mary (ornithologist) quite well.  I
asked her about the "naming" and she indicated that Harry (relatively modest
according to her, did more than wince, but was embarrassed).

By the way, lepidopterists take note that Chris spelled dos Passos (with a small d)
appropriately.  Cyril dos Passos used the small d, while his better known cousin,
writer John Dos Passos, used a capital D.  More than one editor (including our own)
has run afoul of this, trying to correct authors who got it right in the first
place.
Cyril (if I may call him by his first name) published over 120 entomological
papers, the first appearing when he was 47 years old (prior to that he had been a
practicing lawyer).  So amaeteurs take note.  He "retired" to a 90 acres estate in
Morris County, NJ, and donated his collection of some 65,000 specimens to the AMNH.

dos Passos and Grey did a major revision of Speyeria in 1947, putting together many
forms and variants that had been previously regarded as species. I read it
uncritically and it seemed like a major piece of work (or was it just a "piece of
work"). I've often wondered how fritillary-ologists view that publication.  It was
easy enough for me to call it a landmark.

More interesting reading (or more readable reading) are his life history studies.
MIKE GOCHFELD


"Chris J. Durden" wrote:

> *Harkenclenus* was named for Harry Kendon Clench. You can blame C. F. dos
> Passos for coining this name in 1970 as a replacement name for the much
> misused but "correct" name *Chrysophanus* which was suppressed by the ICZN
> in 1959. I think we all, even Harry, winced when this name appeared. We do
> not need to anglicize this name as there is a deeply entrenched common name
> available. Watson's Coral Hairstreak should be easy to interpret even to
> the subspecies - all that is required is a copy of Klots' Field Guide for
> orientation.
> ..................Chris Durden


 
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