Vig Károly: Zoological Research in Western Hungary. A history (Szombathely, 2003)

Phylum Vertebrata 175 Figure 14.3. ISTVÁN CHERNÉL with the ornithologists GYÖRGY ALMÁSY and ALEXANDER HOMEYER near Dinnyés on Lake Velence he was still a boy, he was in contact with the Hungarian Ornithological Centre (forerunner of the Ornithological Institute), diligently contributing observations and notes on bird migrations. His talent came to the notice of OTTÓ HERMAN, who invited him in 1898 to join the Centre staff, where his first major task was to write up that year's migration reports. The subject remained a favourite and his summaries contain many West Hungarian data (SCHENK 1899, 1901, 1905a, 1905b, 1906a, 1906b, 1907a, 1908a, 1909a, 1914, 1915a, 1916a, 1919a, 1920a, 1921a, 1930d and 1938b). SCHENK was the first in Hungary to recognize the importance of ringing and advocate introducing it. Then in 1908, he became the third scientist in the world to carry out a regular programme of ringing (SCHENK 1908b, 1909d, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1915b, 1919b, 1922a, 1924a, 1926a, 1929a, 1930a and 1934b). He covered in detail species invading the Carpathian Basin

— the waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus), whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus), common crossbill (Loxia curvirostra), rose-coloured starling (Pastor roseus) and Ural owl (Srrix uralensis)

—and where and how fast they were spreading. His analyses extended to Western Hungary (SCHENK 1907b, 1921c, 1921d, 1929d, 1929e, 1930e and 1934a). He made very significant contributions in word and deed on the way the great white egret (Egretta alba) and little egret (£. garzetta) were dying out in Hungary and how the surviving populations might be