Texas Bird Auction

[Gregor Hagedorn]

While I agree with the uneasiness of many people commenting on this
issue, I think it should not be restricted to the "sale of names".

The idea which strikes me in this move by the AUDUBON society is that
somebody will take the patronage for a highly endangered species. In
doing so, she or he should be interested in preserving the continued
existence of this species.

Quite correctly, somebody pointed out that a species named smithii
does not really belong to a person after which it was named. However,
if the action extends beyond the auction, the patronage may be more
than just the buying of a name. Judicious use of name-patrons may
help in the protection of some species. I prefer living species with
a name sold at an auction to extinct species in museums or books.

Gregor

Gregor Hagedorn
Inst. f. Mikrobiologie, BBA     Net: G.Hagedorn at bba.de
Koenigin-Luise-Str. 19          Tel: +49-30-8304-2220 or -2221
14195 Berlin, Germany           Fax: +49-30-8304-2203

Often wrong but never in doubt!