Character Notes: an occasional series

Number One

Name: Aad Van Hoyten.

Age: Not known, but he's no spring chicken.

Occupation: Head of the ornithological department, Amsterdam Zoo. Thought also to work in room 3 (FAKE-FALB) of the VUE Commission's Investigation Library.

He's an ornithologist? Yes. For a time he lived in a town in the Bosporus and spent his evenings counting migratory birds. Unfortunately for him the climate only guaranteed 30 good bird-counting evenings a year.

How did he get from the Bosporus to Amsterdam? He flew. You don't think he walked, do you?

I'm asking the questions! How does he spend his time when not counting birds? Collecting feathers.

Sounds weird! Gets worse. He hung the feathers like trophies.

Why did the zoo employ such a strange guy? Despite being colour-blind Van Hoyten was a leading expert in his field. At one time he was engaged in compiling a catalogue of migrating birds in the northern hemisphere. Owls were excluded from his catalogue.

That must have made him unpopular in some quarters! Yes. Tulse Luper thought the catalogue should be completed by an ornithologist with no ulterior motive.

Like whom? Tulse Luper. His 'Some Migratory Birds of the Northern Hemisphere' was published shortly afterwards.

Anyone else take a dislike to him? Ashile Fallko. Fallko believed van Hoyten to be a historian who thought the VUE was a hoax.

But you said before van Hoyten worked for the VUE! I'm beginning to dislike him myself. Some even believe he killed the father of Appis (Arris) Fallabus.

Does anyone like van Hoyten?! Yes. For a time he lived with Stachia Fallari.

Who? Stachia Fallari - the portrait-photographer, writer, illustrator and authority on vegetable oils.

Van Hoyten... the name rings a bell after all! It should do. Not only was he a production advisor for The Falls and one of the VUE's ten pseudonymous identities, but also had a walk-on part in 'The Draughtsman's Contract'.

Most likely to say: That's the fourth heron I've counted this evening.

Least likely to say: Mr Luper, I just love your book on some migratory birds.

Not to be confused with: Van Heusen or the 74th star in the book 'Fear of Drowning by Numbers'.

[End]