Alfred Webster Anthony was born in Cayuga County, New York on December 25, 1865, to Charles Anthony (1843-1918) and Lucy Elmer (1946-1902).
At the age of 19 in 1885, he collected two Dark-eyed Juncos in New Mexico that are in Franklin Pember’s bird collection. He collected the fourteen birds in the collection from 1885-1893 in New Mexico, Oregon and California.
In 1888, Alfred married Anabel Klink (1868-1949) and had two sons. His son Harold became a zoologist, collector and associate curator for the American Museum of Natural History.
Also in 1888, he discovered a beautiful bluebird and named it after his wife, Sialia mexicans anabelae. Anthony discovered many species new to science which some of these he named and described, but more were named by other scientists – a desert mouse (Peromyscus eremicus anthonyi), Anthony’s green heron, a crab (Cancer anthonyi) and even a succulent plant (Dudleya anthonyi) to name a few.
In 1896, Anthony wrote an article about the eggs of the Black, Socorro and Least Petrel. He described their eggs and nesting habits during a visit to the San Benito Islands. In WJB Williams’ collection is a Black Petrel egg Anthony collected on the day he noted in his article. Williams obtained the Black and a Least Petrel egg from Anthony in December of 1896. He published many important papers on both birds and mammals. This is the article – 1896Oct Nidiologist V4N2
1896/Dec 28 – Sent letter and plants from lower California to Frederick Vernon Coville in Washington DC – Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation.
Throughout his lifetime, he was a mining engineer, engraver, farmer, ornithologist, and botanist. He lived in Colorado, Oregon and California. He was a member of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Cooper Ornithological Club, American Society of Mammalogists, Western Conservation Committee and an early director for the San Diego Museum of Natural History. He is listed in the 1898 Naturalists Directory.
In the 1941 publication The Auk (vol. 58) Vernon Bailey writes that besides collecting birds and mammals, Anthony also collected reptiles, invertebrates, plants and minerals. His interests leaned towards the conservation of wildlife and a better knowledge of habits and values.
His collections of birds and mammals can be found in many leading museums.
Alfred Webster Anthony died at his home in San Diego on May 14, 1939.
Vernon Bailey wrote that “his honors were many but best of all were his genial personality and warm friendships. I count it an honor to have known him personally.”
Sources: Islapedia.com, Findagrave.com, Ancestry.com, Biodiversitylibrary.org
