Black-chinned Hummingbird

SCI Name:  Archilochus alexandri
Protonym:  Trochilus Alexandri Ann.Sci.Phys.Nat.Agric.Ind. 9 p.330
Taxonomy:  Caprimulgiformes / Trochilidae / Archilochus
Taxonomy Code:  bkchum
Type Locality:  Sierra Madre, Mexico
Author:  Bourcier & Mulsant
Publish Year:  1846
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ARCHILOCHUS
(Trochilidae; Ϯ Black-chinned Hummingbird A. alexandri) Archilochus (fl. 600 BC) Parian poet famous for his savage wit and flouting of convention; "*Selasphorus   ...  * β. Archilochus Alexandri (Tr. — BOURC. 1846.) RCHB.  —  Mex.: Sierra Madre." (Reichenbach 1854); "Selasphorus β Archilochus Reichenbach, Journ. f. Orn., 1, 1854, Beil. zu Extrah., p. 13. Type, by monotypy, Trochilus alexandri Bourcier, i.e. Bourcier and Mulsant." (Peters, 1945, V, p. 134).  One of numerous hummingbird genera diagnosed by Reichenbach 1854, commemorating classical artisans, following the precedents set by Linnaeus, Brisson, and other eighteenth century authors, who culled many names from the classics and mythology to express close relationship between groups of species in large, unwieldy genera.
Var. Architrochilus.
Synon. Colubris, Cynanthus, Trochilus.

alexandri / alexandrii
● Capt. Boyd Francis Alexander (1873-1910) British Army, ornithologist, collector, explorer (Apus, syn. Chamaetylas poliocephala, subsp. Falco tinnunculus, syn. Ploceus baglafecht eremobius, syn. Tricholaema frontata).
● Alexandre Antoine Dybowski (1850-1914) brother of French botanist and collector Jean Thadée Emmanuel Dybowski (syn. Andropadus curvirostris).
● Dr Alexandre (fl. 1840) who practised in Mexico and sent specimens to Paris; the “Alexandre” of Bourcier & Mulsant 1846 (Archilochus).
● Alexandra (= Alexandria), Northern Territory, Australia (syn. Ardea pacifica).
● A. H. Alexander (fl. 1878) US taxidermist, plumassier (syn. Heliodoxa xanthogonys).
● Dr Frank Alexander Wetmore (1886-1978) US ornithologist, systematist, collector (subsp. Henicorhina leucosticta, Milvago).
● "I name this bird after Dr Alexander Smith, to whom the Museum has often been indebted for additions to its collection" (Sharpe 1874) (OD per Björn Bergenholtz) (syn. Parmoptila woodhousei ☼).
● Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) King of Macedonia, whose conquering armies introduced eastern parakeets to Greece; "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  alexandri.  9. P. macrourus viridis, collari pectoreque rubro, gula nigra. Amœn. acad. 4. p.  Psittacus cubicularius, cauda cuneiformi, digito interiore postice truncato. Hasselq. itin. 235.  Psittacus javanicus. Osb. iter. 101.  Psittacus torquatus macrourus antiquorum. Will. orn. 77. t. 16. f. 3.  Psittacus viridis ex ind. orientali. Alb. av. 2. t. 18. & 3. t. 14.  Psittacus torquatus macrourus antiquorum. Aldr. av. l. 11. c. 12. Raj. av. 33.  Perrocello. Olin. av. 24. t. 24.  Habitat in China, Benghala, Æthiopia.  Primus (totus viridis torque miniato) innotuit sub expeditione Alexandri magni. Plin." (Linnaeus 1758). This name is the first eponym in avian nomenclature (Psittacula).