Vig Károly: Zoological Research in Western Hungary. A history (Szombathely, 2003)
198 Phylum Vertebrata Figure 14.6. The mature ISTVÁN CHERNÉL attached to the specimens of the parrot crossbill (Loxia pytyopsittacus), Pallas's sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus), the cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) and the chestnut-bellied sandgrouse (Pterocles exustus indeterminata). The last is indigenous to Africa and Asia, and its one occurrence in Europe was near Szany in 1863 (CHERNÉL 1899). It has not been observed before or since, so that the Léka had the sole voucher specimen for its occurrence in Europe. 68 This was mislaid after the Second World War (FESTETICS 1960), when the collection had suffered significant damage. A 'school museum' at Lockenhaus was established with the remaining material by ÁGOSTON FINK, the schoolteacher of Hammerteich (Hámortó). The original bird collection was researched in the 1960s by STEPHAN (ISTVÁN) AUMÜLLER, from handwritten inventories of 1890 and 1902 and the register of mammals. This work, describing 858 prepared specimens (360 of them from the territory of present-day Burgenland), the bird skins in the FINKregister, and the mammals, was published in German (AUMÜLLER 1967) and later in Hungarian (AUMÜLLER 1966 and 1973). After the appeal by SALAMON JÁNOS PETÉNYI in 1830, his work encouraged many other people in the country to take up ornithology. 69 Among the converts was KÁLMÁN CHERNÉL, a historian conversant with the natural sciences. His book, mentioned already (CHERNÉL 1877) was the first to list the birds observed in and around the town of Kőszeg. He also wrote about birds in several shorter pieces, notably the woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) and the question of bird migration (CHERNÉL 1858, 1860, 1862, 1863-64, 1865, 1882 and 1885). His interest in ornithology gave an impetus to his son ISTVÁN CHERNÉL. In 1880, the 21st Grand Assembly of Hungarian Physicians and Natural Scientists took place in Szombathely. There KÁLMÁN CHERNÉL delivered a lecture entitled 'The Migration of Birds' (CHERNÉL 1882). He took his 15-year-old son to the lectures 'to broaden his outlook and increase his interest in scientific movements, especially ornithology.' ISTVÁN CHERNÉL (Figure 14.6) can be considered for his time an ornithologist 68 The specimen, an adult hen, was shot by J. HANNIBÁL (HARASZTHY 1998). 69 WARGA, K. 1957. Petényi Salamon, az ornithológus (SP the ornithologist). Állattani Közlemények 46:11-18; KEVE, А. 1961. Petényi J. Salamon, a magyar ornithológia úttörője (SJP, pioneer of Hungarian ornithology). Élővilág 6:44-6.
