I'm aware of an alternative explanation for the use of the name
"Regent" for Australian birds.
In an email I sent to birding-aus on 2/12/2003, I quoted an article
which Ian McAllan had written in the then current issue ofw "Birds
NSW", the journal of NSW Atlassers.
Ian referred to an unpublished manuscript in which a man named John
Skottowe claimed that he had collected the first specimen of the
Regent Bowerbird in 1812. He had named it in honour of the Prince
Regent, later George IV. The Prince had been appointed Regent in 1811
when his father George 111 became mentally incapable. Originally,
Parliament placed limitations on his powers as Regent, but in 1812
these were removed. According to Skottowe, on the very day he
collected the Regent Bowerbird he received the news in New South
Wales that the Prince had assumed the full powers of regency. He
wrote, perhaps sarcastically, that he named the bird because of the
esteem he bore towards the Prince (who was widely unpopular).
In fact as Ian pointed out, Skottowe was not the first to collect the
Regent Bowerbird. It was collected in 1801 by John Lewin , who
described it in 1808.
Ian surmised, plausibly, that once the name "Regent" became
associated with one striking black and yellow bird, it was natural
enough to attach it to others, i.e. the Honeyeater and the Parrot .
As has been noted, one of the early names of the Regent Honeyeater
was "False Regent-bird",
I'm inclined to think that the story of regents wearing black and
gold uniforms, while it is often repeated is an example of folk
etymology.
Colin Scouler.
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