the scientific name "eremopezus eocaenus" is rather ambiguous in meaning; a possible translation is "walking hermit from the eocene". "eremos" (ἐρῆμος) is an ancient greek term signifying a lonely or solitary place or person: a hermit, a desert or a wasteland. yet while faiyum is located at the edge of the libyan desert, it is a well-vegetated location even today; some 35-30 ma it was a lush region and teemed with life. on the other hand, is it not at all likely that such a large and quite likely predatory bird like "e. eocaenus" was in any way gregarious or occurred at high population densities. it might therefore be described as a "hermit" with some justification, but certainly not as a "desert-dweller". "pezus" is latinized greek from "pezós" (πεζός), "someone who walks". "eocaenus" refers to the bird's age; as noted, the initial 1904 assessment of c. w. andrews was indeed correct. "stromeria fajumensis" was named in honor of the paleontologist ernst stromer von reichenbach, and the bone's place of discovery.