Page "Ernst Mayr" Paragraph 6

On March 23, 1923 on the lakes of Moritzburg, the Frauenteich, he spotted what he identified as a Red-crested Pochard.

The species had not been seen in Saxony since 1845 and the local club argued about the identity.

Raimund Schelcher ( 1891 – 1979 ) of the club then suggested that Mayr visit his classmate Erwin Stresemann on his way to Greifswald, where Mayr was to begin his medical studies.

After a tough interrogation, Stresemann accepted and published the sighting as authentic.

Stresemann was very impressed and suggested that, between semesters, Mayr could work as a volunteer in the ornithological section of the museum.

Mayr wrote about this event, " It was as if someone had given me the key to heaven.

" He entered the University of Greifswald in 1923 and, according to Mayr himself, " took the medical curriculum ( to satisfy a family tradition ).

" Mayr was endlessly interested in ornithology and " chose Greifswald at the Baltic for my studies for no other reason than that ... it was situated in the ornithologically most interesting area.

" Although he ostensibly planned to become a physician, he was " first and foremost an ornithologist.

" During the first semester break Stresemann gave him a test to identify treecreepers and Mayr was able to identify most of the specimens correctly.

Stresemann declared that Mayr ' was a born systematist '.

In 1925 Stresemann suggested that he give up his medical studies and join the Berlin Museum with the prospect of bird-collecting trips to the tropics on the condition that he completed his doctoral studies in 16 months.

Mayr completed his doctorate in ornithology at the University of Berlin under Dr. Carl Zimmer, who was a full professor ( Ordentlicher Professor ), on June 24, 1926 at the age of 21.

On July 1 he accepted the position offered to him at the Museum for a monthly salary of 330. 54 Reichsmark.