Vig Károly: Zoological Research in Western Hungary. A history (Szombathely, 2003)
44 Historical survey Figure 2.24. ALFONZ FREH (1832-1918), a botanist, teacher and member of the Benedictine order, wrote the first account of the plant and animal kingdom in the Kőszeg Hills to contain scientifically valid data FREH, although both proved later to be synonyms. He died of old age in Kőszeg on July 4, 1918, at the age of 86 (Figure 2.25). He was remarkable above all as a botanist, producing two important works on flora, which included detailed distribution data. 135 Two herbaria of his have survived in the Savaria Museum (Herbarium Florae Ginsiensis and Herbarium Gymnasii Ginsiensis). Encouraged by the success of his 'Flora of Kőszeg' in 1876, FREH published a list of the zoological collections in the science store at the grammar school (FREH 1878) (Figure 2.26). This can be considered the first authentic list of specimens collected in the vicinity of Kőszeg. However, the locations of some insect species were given incorrectly, as the collections included species collected by P. VINCZE MARIA GREDLER in the Tirol, 136 some of which were labelled as if they had been found in Kőszeg. In 1893, FREH also made a manuscript inventory of the collection (quoted in CSIKI 1941a), but its present whereabouts are not known. In 1880, a monograph on Szombathely by ADOLF KUNCZ (1880) appeared, the sixth chapter of which is entitled The fauna and flora in the area of the town', although some doubts about the locations of the species listed mean that it must be treated with reservations (Figure 2.27). ADOLF KUNCZ was born at Sál, Vas County on December 18, 1841. He studied at Keszthely and then at the Premonstratensian High Grammar School in Szombathely. He began to teach in Szombathely in 1863 and was principal of his old school from 1875 to 1884. In 1880, he and a pupil, JENŐ GOTHARD, later an astronomer, worked with Foucault's pendulum. 137 He also did telephone experiments of international significance. KUNCZ held count135 FREH, A. 1876. Kőszeg viránya (Flora of Kőszeg). Értesüvény a kőszegi kath. kisgymnasiumról 1875/76. 3-33. Szombathely; idem 1883. Kőszeg és vidékének viránya (Flora of Kőszeg and its district). Értesüvény a kőszegi kath. kisgymnasiumról 1882/83. 2-63. Szombathely. 136 GREDLER, P.V.M. 1863-6. Die Käfer von Tirol nach ihrer horizontalen und vertikalen Verbreitung I-II. Bozen: Druck u. Verlag der J. Eberrle'schen Buchdruckerei. 137 KUNCZ, А. 1882. Ingakisérlet (Pendulum experiment). In GERLÓCZY, GY., G. DULÁCSKA and К. MÜLLER eds. A magyar orvosok és természetvizsgálók 1880. aug. 21-től aug. 27-ig Szombathelyen tartott XXI. nagygyűlésének történeti vázlata és munkálatai (Outline of Events and Proceedings of the 21st Grand Assembly of Hungarian Physicians and Natural Scientists, held in Szombathely on August 21-7, 1880), 76-9. Budapest.
