Cecil Frank Underwood (26 October 1867–19 August 1943) was a British scientific collector of mammal and bird specimens in

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

Early life

Underwood was born on 26 October 1867 in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, England. His parents were George and Amelia Dodd Underwood. During his early life, he was an apprentice for a taxidermist. On behalf of the British Museum of Natural History, Underwood traveled to the U.S., arriving in New York on 26 October 1888, which was his twenty-first birthday.

Career

In April 1889, he left the U.S. for

Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...

. He largely remained in Costa Rica for the rest of his life, though he made extensive trips to

Honduras Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. The republic of Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Oce ...

for specimen collecting from 1932 to 1938. While Underwood primarily focused on birds and mammals, he collected other taxa as well such as freshwater fish.

Namesake species

Underwood's long-tongued bat Underwood's long-tongued bat (''Hylonycteris underwoodi'') is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is the only species within the genus ''Hylonycteris''. It is found in Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Hylonycteri ...

(''Hylonycteris underwoodi'') * Underwood's bonneted bat (''Eumops underwoodi'') *

Underwood's water mouse Underwood's water mouse (''Rheomys underwoodi'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Costa Rican and western Panamanian cloud forest at altitudes from 1500 to 2000 m. This mouse lives near streams in highland forests an ...

(''Rheomys underwoodi'') *'' Craugastor underwoodi''—A species of frog *'' Melese underwoodi''—A species of moth * Underwood's tussock moth (''Halysidota underwoodi'') *'' Symphlebia underwoodi''—A species of moth

Archaeology

Underwood also collected archaeological artifacts in Costa Rica. American businessman

Minor Cooper Keith Minor Cooper Keith (19 January 1848 – 14 June 1929) was an American businessman whose railroad, commercial agriculture, and cargo liner enterprises had a major impact on the national economies of the Central American countries, as well as on th ...

commissioned Underwood to gather artifacts from natives' mounds and

burial ground A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...

Personal life

Underwood had at least one child, a son named Edwin G. Underwood, who was an industrial engineer in

San José, Costa Rica San José (; meaning "Saint Joseph") is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica, and the capital of the province of the same name. It is in the center of the country, in the mid-west of the Central Valley, within San José Canton. San ...

Death

Underwood died on 19 August 1943 in San José, following a short illness.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Underwood, Cecil 1867 births 1943 deaths Scientists from London Zoological collectors British emigrants to Costa Rica