Vig Károly: Zoological Research in Western Hungary. A history (Szombathely, 2003)
Phylum Vertebrata 173 LAJOS FISCHER 29 (1882, 1883-5 and 1885) studied Fertő and the adjacent Hanság. ALFRED FOURNES (1886a) and ОтMAR REISER (1895) collected important nidological and oological information. ERNST VON DOMBROWSKI and R. ROBERT VON DOMBROWSKI studied the north and east shores of the lake (DOMBROWSKI R. 1887; DOMBROWSKI E. 1888-9 and 1907), but their data has to be treated with some reservations. For instance, they gave a high number of breeding pairs of gull-billed tern (Gelochelidon nilotica), although they had not visited Fertő in the breeding season and a trip by ISTVÁN CHERNÉL to confirm the finding in the following year failed to do so. ISTVÁN FÁSZL went to Sopron in 1867 as a teacher at the Benedictine grammar school. 30 He researched industriously into the bird-life of Fertő and Sopron up to 1895 (FÁSZL 1883, 1886) and also wrote a pioneer work of dipterology on the fly fauna of Sopron (FÁSZL 1878). As a teacher, he raised two of his students into outstanding ornithologists: ISTVÁN CHERNÉL and TITUS (TITUSZ) CSÖRGEY. 31 CSÖRGEY made his first trip to Fertő on May 1, 1892 under FÁSZL, who was also responsible for collecting and preparing the collection of more than 1000 bird specimens at the school. JÁNOS FRIVALDSZKY (1879) included several bird occurrences from Fertő in his work on new species discovered in Hungary. JULIUS FINGER (1857a) and GYULA MADARÁSZ (1883 and 1884) reported on appearances at Fertő and in the Hanság of the rare vagrant longlegged buzzard (Buteo rufinus). SALAMON JÁNOS PETÉNYI (1884) published occurrences at Fertő of several anseriforms. 29 Baron LAJOS FISCHER (1855-1892), a naturalist and army officer, had a short but adventurous life. He served in the 6th Imperial and Royal Hussars as a first lieutenant before being appointed by the German East African Company to lead an expedition to Lake Victoria, which left Zanzibar in the autumn of 1891. He fell ill in May 1892, probably of malaria. He went blind and then suffered serious fever convulsions before dying on June 2, 1892. He was buried the next day at Muaza in present-day Tanzania. 30 ISTVÁN FÁSZL (b. Kőszeg, February 8, 1838, d. January 26, 1900) studied at Kőszeg Grammar School, but his parents were unable to afford a further education for him, and so gained a teaching diploma after joining the Benedictine Order. He then taught chemistry, mathematics, drawing, geography, mineralogy, zoology and botany, at Kőszeg Grammar School in 1861-7 and then at Sopron High Grammar School until 1896. His ornithological work gained him corresponding membership of the Hungarian Ornithological Centre (Magyar Ornithológiai Központ) in 1896. In a tribute, ISTVÁN CHERNÉL wrote, '1 shall never forget the hours I spent with him! What encouragement, teaching and knowledge I can thank him for giving me from the age of 15! He was not just my teacher, but the one whose example and influence turned the life of a still undecided boy in a specific direction. He kindled in me a true love of nature, he developed in me the seed of my interest in birds, which I had brought into the world as a family inheritance. I learnt from him how to stuff animals. He took me on field trips to observe bird-life. He taught me that on field trips, you must not only see, but draw lessons from what you have seen.' On the life of FÁSZL, see ANON. 1899. Fászl István 1838-1900. A soproni Bencés Főgimnázium Értesítője az 1898-99. tanévről; RÉTHEI-PRIKKEL, M. 1900. Fászl István 183 8-1900. Soproni Hírlap, February 1, 1900; CHERNÉL, I. 1901. Fászl István 1838-1900... Aquila 8:173-81; CSABA, J. 1981. Fászl István soproni ornitológus (1838-1900) (IF, Sopron ornithologist). Soproni Szemle 35:275-7. 31 KÉVE, A. 1969. Emlékezés Csörgey Tituszra (1875-1961) (Memorial to TCs). A Veszprém megyei Múzeumok Közleményei 7:11-15; SÁGI, K.J. 1969. Emlékezés dr. Csörgey Tituszra (Memorial to Dr TCs). Soproni Szemle 23:272-7.
