Adolphus Lewis Heermann
Heermann‘s Gull
Larus heermanni
(October 21, 1821 – September 27, 1865)
• American doctor, naturalist, ornithologist, and explorer born
in New Orleans, Louisiana.
in New Orleans, Louisiana.
• was a surgeon, naturalist and surveryor for the Pacific
Railroad.
Railroad.
• specialized in collecting bird eggs.
- coined the term “oology’
• collected over 1,200 bird skins.
• retired early from the army.
- from 1862 was suffering from locomotor ataxia, a
symptom of syphilis.
symptom of syphilis.
- when horse-riding his legs had to be strapped into the
saddle of his horse so that he would not fall off.
saddle of his horse so that he would not fall off.
• died 2 yrs later from a hunting accident.
- stumbled and shot himself.
• named in is honor:
Heermann’s gull (Larus heermanni)
Heermann’s kangaroo rat (Dipodomys heermanni)
Heermann’s song sparrow (Melospiza melodia heermani)
Heermann’s tarweed (Holocarpha heermannii)
(Beolens, B and B Schott, Whose Bird, Yale Univ. Press, 2003)
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolphus_Lewis_Heermann)