Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-26
SCIENTISTS HONOR
F. FAMOUS BIOLOGIST
az
Five New Species Named for
Or. Leonhard Steineger.
of Smithsonian.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.


Five new species of reptiles hitherto
unknown to science have just been
named in honor of DR.. Leonhard Stej-
meyer, curator of biology Of the Smith
eOnian Institution, in a worldwide
tribute to the dean OF American biol
ogistS.
This year marks the 5Oth anniversary
of DR.. Stejneger's arrival in Washing
ton from Norway, his native land. The
American Society of Ichthyologists and
HerptologiSts devotes special number
OF its official journal as tribute to the
veteran scientist, whom many consider
the worlds foremost expert on reptilian
life.
The rarest and most curious Of cold
FLOODED animals recently discovered
were selected to bear his name First
is small, bright-green lizard, believed
to inhabit the mangrove swamps of ex-
IRENE Southwestern Florida. It is con-
tributed to the list of Steineger name
sakes by Thomas Barbour or Harya ard
University, who says that ut may well
be the last conspicuous American nov
city" One of the most beautiful of
North American reptiles, it hitherto has
escaped the notice of biologists. 1t
probably is extremely rare.
Was Actual DiscOverer.
DR.. Steineger, Barbour points out, is
the actual discoverer. More than 40
years ago he came across a specimen in
the National Museum collection, but
neglected to cdaim the discovery hop
ing that more specimens would show
up which would justify his belief that
~ was new species. This Spring the
Harvard BIOLOGIST came across the
strange little animal in a collection from
Florida and was unable to identify it
by comparison with any known species.
He sent 1T to DR.. Stejneger in Wash
Angton, who Immediately recognized it
as the prototype of the creature he had
set aside for further study nearly half
q century before.
The second newly discovered animal
named for the veteran biologist is a
burrowing blind snake from the Bel
g1an Congo, discovered by Arthur Love-
ridge OF Harvard University. Dr. Stej-
meyer. Lovertdge points out. had recog-
nized this creature as a peculiar type
When ne came across Specin EN- in the
National Museum collection many years
ago. but had failed to describe it.
A recently discovered Korean toad is
named Tor DR.. StejnegeT by Karl P
Schmidt Of the Field Museum, Chicago
DR.. Hugh M. Smith, commissioner of
fisheries Of Siam, gives his name to a
nitnerto unknown fresh-water fish. Dr.
SteJnegerS name has been attached by
Doris NJ. Cochran of the National Mu-
scum to Q new lizard just discovered in
Haiti.
Kept in Active Service.
Among DR.. Stejneger's notable dis
coveries, 1t is pointed out in the ami
versary volume, is curious frog living
IN the mountain streams of the Pacific
Coast, which recent studies have DEM
onstrated to be the most primitive of
American frogs. This creature, the
ascaphus, Is highly specialized for life
In cold, running water. and only leaves
the swift mountain brooks at night
and on cold, damp days It is con-
sidered close to the basic frog type
from which other members of the fam
lily have evolved.
Long a Government biologist. some
Of DR.. Stejneger's notable exploits have
bean the recovery of bones of the
Pallas cormorant and the seacow. ami
mails long extinct, from the desoIate
Boring Island, where he spent one Win
ter. He came to the United States as
a specialist on birds, but soon switched
his major interest to reptiles, in which
held he has become recognized world
authority. DR.. Stejneger is past the
retirement age in the Government serv-
ice, but has been continued in office
because Of the impossibility of finding
anybody OF quite the same accomplish
mentS to take his place