The identity of Richard of Richard's pipit (Anthus richardi Vieillot, 1818)

摘要

Richard's pipit (Anthus richardi) is an annual vagrant to Europe from its eastern Palaearctic breeding grounds. It was first described in 1818 by Louis Vieillot from specimens obtained in eastern France and named for Richard de Luneville. Although Richard was then a fairly well known natural history collector his identity became lost to succeeding generations of naturalists. He is identified here as Charles Richard (1745-1835), the director of the postal service at Luneville. Some of his bird specimens still survive amongst the Baillon Collection at La Chatre but other birds, including the three syntypes of Richard's pipit, have not been traced.