Rafael Montes de Oca

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Rafael Montes de Oca
Document with the date of birth of Rafael Montes de Oca

Rafael Montes de Oca (born October 24, 1830 in Xalapa , † 1885 or later) was a Mexican ornithologist , botanist , artist and teacher of drawing, stained glass and languages. He was also a natural resource collector for the Border Commission to Guatemala ( Comisión de Límites en Guatemala ).

Live and act

Montes de Oca was a student at the Academia de San Carlos . Between 1850 and 1856 he received several awards for his drawings and paintings. His social position was rather humble, so that he struggled with economic problems throughout his life. This forced him to teach English, French and drawing. He lived for some time in his hometown of Xalapa. In 1871 he joined the Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural . One of his students was Luz Fernández de Herrera (1855–1945), who was also born in Xalapa and trained as a teacher at the Nuevo Instito .

In several articles in the journal La Naturaleza he published on the Mexican hummingbirds. The tables for the articles were lithographed by Hesiquio Iriarte (1820–1903) and partly colored by José María Velasco Gómez (1840–1912) and Montes de Oca. In 1875 the articles appeared in a book entitled Ensayo ornitológico de los troquilideos ó colibríes de México and was sponsored by the Ministry of Public Affairs . The work contains 12 plates, in turn Iriarte and Velasco contributed to some. In his foreword to the book, Montes de Oca thanked his friend Auguste Sallé (1820-1896) for telling him the difference between the ornamental star hummingbird ( Calothorax pulcher Gould , 1859) and Lucifer star hummingbird ( Calothorax lucifer ( Swainson , 1827)) (Syn: Calothorax cyanopogon) explained. According to Elías Trabulse (1942–), Montes de Oca cooperated with Velasco on his work Iconografía botánica mexicana , which consisted of 57 watercolors .

When the Comison Científica de Valle de México sent José María Velasco and Luis Coto y Maldonado (1830-1891) on an expedition to Methylaltoyuca in 1865 , the young Montes de Oca accompanied them the whole trip, although Ramón Almaraz wrote him in his Memoria acerca de los terrenos de Metlaltoyuca not mentioned.

In 1880 Velasco read a memorandum to the Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural about a trip from Montes de Oca through Chiapas, in which he reported on the customs of the Indians, the topography and flora and fauna of the region. In it, Montes de Oca described a species of the genus Sarcoramphus that was new to him , but which was a female of the king vulture . He also described a hummingbird that appeared in the new for Mexico and asked to be allowed to publish this description. The publication of the hummingbird was rejected as inappropriate.

François Sumichrast mentioned a report by Montes de Oca in 1882, in which he reported on the Río Coatán near Tapachula of bumpy crocodiles ( Crocodylus moreletii ).

In 1883 Montes de Oca published an article for the Border Commission in Guatemala in which Montes de Oca wrote:

“When the grasshopper (Montes de Oca called it Acridium peregrinum , a species that only occurs in Africa) appeared for the last time, it was believed that it would bring cholera with it as it used to be and in fact the epidemic followed in the last year of 1882 Tonalá and other locations in Chiapas state, where it caused some deaths; and although it was said that it was not cholera morbus , this may be true in some cases, but probably not in others in relation to the symptoms. "

In the same year, probably because of the replacement of the director Manuel Eusebio Pastrana (1852–), Montes de Oca returned from Soconusco and brought a variety of plants, fruits and seeds with him. A large part of the collection went to the Comisón Cientifica Mexicana founded on August 23, 1883 under the direction of Alfonso Luis Herrera . This commission was set up to begin with the scientific exploration of the valley of Mexico . At the instigation of General Carlos Pacheco Villalobos (1839–1889), the collection area was expanded to all of Mexico. On October 1, 1883, Montes de Oca, under the direction of José Salazar Ilarregui, was again sent by the commission to Soconusco as a scientific taxidermist . At the suggestion of Manuel Fernández Leal (1831–1909), the herpetological collection of Montes de Oca went to the Comisión geográfico-exploradora de la República Mexicana around 1886 . The animals that Montes de Oca collected in Soconusco ended up in the Museo Nacional de México and were described by Herrera. Montes de Oco collected in Soconusco and in the state of Oaxaca in 1884 . The state of Puebla followed in 1884 and the area around Xalapas in 1885, where he collected plants and herbs. His botanical collection is now part of the Herbario Nacional de México . It was Fernando Altamirano Carbajal (1848–1908) who took care of the herbaria of Paul Jean Baptiste Maury (1858–1893) from Huasteca , the fern collection of Hugo Finck (? –1895) of German descent and the later Monte Ocas collection.

Long after Monte de Oca's death, Hummingbirds and orchids of Mexico and Colibríes y orquídeas de México appeared in 1963 . The panels with a manuscript of Montes de Oca was in the possession of a student named Gertrudis García Teruel de Schmidtlein (1844-1912) née Teruel y Manso . She was the grandmother of the editor Carolina Amor de Fournier (1908-1993). The original title in the manuscript was Monograpfía de los Colibríes y Apuntes sobre las Principales Orquídeas de México . Important scientific contributions and additions to the work were made by Rafael Martín del Campo (1910–1987) and Norman Pelham Wright , who took care of the identification of the orchids on the tablets. Montes Oca dedicated it to his friend Manuel María Villada Peimbert (1840-1924) Atthis villadesi , which is seen today as a synonym for the rose throat elf ( Atthis heloisa ( Lesson, RP & Delattre , 1839)). Unfortunately, two tables were lost in an earlier attempt to publish the work. Little is known about the exact time of his death.

Dedication names

In 1867, George Newbold Lawrence named the collar beater ( Pipilo ocai ) after him. When by John Gould described 1859 Art Amazilia OCAI is probably a hybrid of Blaukopfamazilie ( Amazilia cyanocephala ) and Beryllamazilie ( Amazilia beryllina ).

  • Amazilia Ocaí illustrated by John Gould and Henry Constantine Richter (1821-1902)

  • Amazilia Ocaí (Figure 1) illustrated by Rafael Montes de Oca

  • Collar root hammer ( Pipilo ocai )

Publications (selection)

  • The Mexican Humming Bird . In: Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia . tape 12 , 1860, p. 47-48 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
  • Ensayo ornitológico de la familia Trochilidae o sea de los Colibries o Chupamirtos de México . In: La Naturaleza; periódico científico del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural y de la Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural. tape 3 , p. 15–31 ( biodiversitylibrary.org - 1874–1876).
  • Ensayo ornitológico de la familia Trochilidae o sea de los Colibries o Chupamirtos de México . In: La Naturaleza; periódico científico del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural y de la Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural. tape 3 , p. 59-66 ( biodiversitylibrary.org - 1874-1876).
  • Ensayo ornitológico de la familia Trochilidae o sea de los Colibries o Chupamirtos de México . In: La naturaleza; periódico científico del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural y de la Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural. tape 3 , p. 99-106 ( biodiversitylibrary.org - 1874-1876).
  • Ensayo ornitológico de la familia Trochilidae o sea de los Colibries o Chupamirtos de México . In: La Naturaleza; periódico científico del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural y de la Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural. tape 3 , p. 159-167 ( biodiversitylibrary.org - 1874-1876).
  • Ensayo ornitológico de la familia Trochilidae o sea de los Colibries o Chupamirtos de México . In: La Naturaleza; periódico científico del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural y de la Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural. tape 3 , p. 203-211 ( biodiversitylibrary.org - 1874-1876).
  • Ensayo ornitológico de la familia Trochilidae o sea de los Colibries o Chupamirtos de México . In: La Naturaleza; periódico científico del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural y de la Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural. tape 3 , p. 299-304 ( biodiversitylibrary.org - 1874-1876).
  • Catalogo de las maderas colectadas por el Sr. Socio D. Rafael Montes de Oca, en el Estado de Veracruz, en las cercanías de Actopan, 713 metros sobre el nivel del mar, at 19 ° 20 ° latirud N. at 2 ° 13 ° de longitud W de México . In: La naturaleza; periódico científico del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural y de la Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural. tape 3 , p. 397-399 ( biodiversitylibrary.org - 1874-1876).
  • Ensayo ornitológico de los troquilideos ó colibríes de México. I Escalante, Mexico City 1875 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
  • Informe del Colector del naturalista de la comison de Limites en que GuatemalaInforme la Comision para el estudio de los medios para la mas adecuados destruccion de la langosta bark á la Secretaría de fomento . Impr. De F. Diaz de Leon, Mexico City 1883, p. 108-110 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
  • Rafael Montes de Oca Edited by: Edition and preface: Carolina Amor de Fournier, introduction and text to the panels Rafael Martín del Campo, English translation and additions by Norman Pelham Wright: Hummingbirds and orchids of Mexico . Editorial Fournier, Mexico City 1963.
  • Rafael Montes de Oca: Editing and preface: Carolina Amor de Fournier, introduction and text to the panels Rafael Martín del Campo: Colibríes y orquídeas de México . Editorial Fournier, Mexico City 1963.

literature

  • Gabriel V. Alcocer: Los Herbarios Del Instituto Medico Nacional . In: Annals del Instituto Medico Nacional . tape 6 , 1905, pp. 214-223 ( archive.org ).
  • Eugenio Chavero: Informe del Jefe de la Seccion Primera . In: Memoria presentada al Congreso de la Union por el Secretario de Estado y del de Formento, colonizacion, industria y Comercio de la Republica Mexicana General Carlos Pacheo . tape 1 , 1887, p. 7-10 ( books.google.com ).
  • Fernando Ferrari-Pérez, Edward Drinker Cope: Catalog of animals collected by the geographical and exploring commission of the Republic of Mexico . In: La naturaleza; periódico científico del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural y de la Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural. tape 9 , 1886, p. 125-199 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
  • John Gould: Descriptions of four new species of humming-birds from Mexico . In: Annals and Magazine of Natural history including Zoology, Botany, and Geology (=  3 ). tape 4 , 1859, p. 96-98 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
  • María Rosa Gudiño Cejudo: Expedición a la Mesa de Metlaltoyuca. El relato del pintor José María Velasco (1865) . In: Historia mexicana . 2015, ISSN  0185-0172 , p. 1807–1843 ( scielo.org.mx [PDF]).
  • Alfonso Luis Herrera: Datos para la Zoología de Chiapas . In: Anales del Museo Nacional de México . tape 4 , 1887, p. 136-143 ( books.google.com ).
  • George Newbold Lawrence: Descriptions of New Species of Birds of the Families Tanagridae, Dendrocolapitidae, Formicaridae, Tyrannidae, and Trochilidae . In: Annals of Lyceum of Natural History of New York . tape 8 , 1867, p. 126-135 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
  • Leonardo Pasquel: Xalapeños distinguidos . Editorial Citlaltepetl, Mexico City 1975.
  • Jerzy Rzedowski, Graciela Calderón de Rzedowski, Armando Butanda: Los principales colectores de plantas activos en México entre 1700 y 1930 . Pátzuaro, Michoacán 2009, ISBN 978-6-07760704-5 (Spanish, bioteca.biodiversidad.gob.mx [PDF; 42.8 MB ]).
  • F [rançois] Sumichrast: Enumeracion de las Especes de Reptiles observados en la parte meridional de la Republica Mexicana . In: La naturaleza; periódico científico del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural y de la Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural. tape 6 , p. 31-45 ( biodiversitylibrary.org - 1882-1884).
  • Elías Trabulse: Arte y Cienca en la Historia de México . Formento Cultural Banamex, AC, Mexico City 1995, ISBN 968-7009-47-0 .
  • José María Velasco Gómez: Informe que rinde el . In: Informe que rinde el Primer Secretario à la Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural de los trabajos presentados en los años de 1879 y 1880 . tape 5 , p. 149-168 ( biodiversitylibrary.org - 1880-1881).

Web links

Commons : Rafael Montes de Oca  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Elías Trabulse (1995), p. 170.
  2. ↑ a b c Elías Trabulse (1995), p. 171.
  3. ↑ Leonardo Pasquel (1975), p. 233.
  4. ↑ Rafael Montes de Oca (1875), p. 4.
  5. ↑ María Rosa Gudiño Cejudo (2015), p. 1815.
  6. ↑ José María Velasco Gómez (1880), p. 157.
  7. ^ Adrien Louis Jean François Sumichrast (1882), p. 35.
  8. ↑ Rafael Montes de Oca (1883), p. 110.
  9. ^ Gabriel V. Alcocer (1905), p. 218.
  10. ↑ Eugenio Chavero (1887), pp. 8-9.
  11. ↑ Fernando Ferrari-Pérez et al. a. (1886), p. 182.
  12. ↑ Alfonso Luis Herrera. (1887), pp. 136f.
  13. ↑ Jerzy Rzedowski et al. a. (2009), pp. 81-82.
  14. ^ Gabriel V. Alcocer (1905), p. 219.
  15. ↑ George Newbold Lawrence (1867), p. 126.
  16. ^ John Gould, p. 96.

Remarks

  1. ↑ According to Elías Trabulse, Montes de Oca is said to have been eight years older than José María Velasco Gómez.
  2. ↑ Described in the foreword to Hummingbirds and orchids of Mexico from 1963. On the lost tablets were the black - headed elf ( Lophornis helenae ( Delattre , 1839)) and the blue-throated star hummingbird ( Tilmatura dupontii ( Lesson , 1832)), as well as the Orchids Schomburgkia tibicinis and Oncidium ornithorhynchum .
  3. ↑ If one believes about this item it could be 1888, i. H. Died 75 years after the publication of Hummingbirds and Orchids of Mexico . In the book itself there is no reference to the death of Montes de Oca.
personal data
SURNAME Montes de Oca, Rafael
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Montesdeoca, Rafael
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Mexican ornithologist and painter
DATE OF BIRTH October 24, 1830
PLACE OF BIRTH Xalapa
DATE OF DEATH after 1885