Bernstein, Heinrich Agathon (1828-1865)

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Bernstein, Heinrich Agathon (1828–1865) Java, Moluccas, Indonesia 1861–1863

Heinrich Agathon Bernstein (22 September 1828 – 1865) was a German zoologist from Breslau (Wrocław).

In 1859 Hermann Schlegel sent Bernstein to collect birds in New Guinea.

Bernstein is commemorated in the names of a number of animals, including the Chinese Crested Tern Sterna bernsteini and the Lesser Black Coucal Centropus bernsteini.

Pedetes macrorhynclius was proposed as a name in a letter from Java by Bernstein (1861) published in Vienna. From the brief and vague reference, it seems likely that the subject was some Javanese Odontomachus, perhaps rixosus or simillimus, but there is no real description sufficient to recognize any species.

"The Dutch have just sent out a collector for the Leyden Museum to the Moluccas. He is now at Ternate, and goes to spend two years in Gilolo and Batchian, and then to N. Guinea. He will, of course (having four hunters constantly employed, and not being obliged to make his collecting pay expenses), do much more than I have been able to do; but I think I have got the cream of it all. His name is Bernstein; he has resided long in Java, as doctor at a Sanatorium, and tells me he has already sent large collections to Leyden, including the nests and eggs of more than a hundred species of birds! Are these yet arranged and exhibited? They must form a most interesting collection1.

ANT TAXONOMY
Odontomachus macrorhynchus from Java; queen described.

PUBLICATIONS

 * Bernstein, A. 1861. [Untitled. Introduced by: "Von Herrn Dr. Agath. Berstein in Gadok auf Java ist folgendes Schreiben eingegangen:".]. Verh. K-K. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 11: 7-8