Edward Meyrick
(25 November 1854, in
Ramsbury
Ramsbury is a village and civil parish in the English county of Wiltshire. The village is in the Kennet Valley near the Berkshire boundary. The nearest towns are Hungerford about east and Marlborough about west. The much larger town of Swindon ...
– 31 March 1938, at Thornhanger,
Marlborough
Marlborough may refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Marlborough, Wiltshire, England
** Marlborough College, public school
* Marlborough School, Woodstock in Oxfordshire, England
* The Marlborough Science Academy in Hertfordshire, England
Austral ...
) was an English schoolmaster and amateur
entomologist
Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...
. He was an expert on
microlepidoptera
Microlepidoptera (micromoths) is an artificial (i.e., unranked and not monophyletic) grouping of moth families, commonly known as the 'smaller moths' (micro, Lepidoptera). These generally have wingspans of under 20 mm, and are thus harder to ...
and some consider him one of the founders of modern microlepidoptera
systematics
Biological systematics is the study of the diversification of living forms, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time. Relationships are visualized as evolutionary trees (synonyms: cladograms, phylogenetic tre ...
.
Life and work
Edward Meyrick came from a Welsh clerical family and was born in Ramsbury on the Kennet to a namesake father. He was educated at
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent boarding school) for pupils aged 13 to 18 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. Founded in 1843 for the sons of Church ...
and
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge ...
. He actively pursued his hobby during his schooling, and one colleague stated in 1872 that Meyrick "has not left a lamp, a paling, or a tree unexamined in which a moth could possibly, at any stage of its existence, lie hid."
Meyrick began publishing notes on microlepidopterans in 1875, but when in December, 1877 he gained a post at
The King's School, Parramatta
The King's School is an Education in Australia#Non-government schools, independent Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican, Pre-school education, early learning, primary school, primary and secondary school, secondary day and boarding school, boardi ...
,
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
, there were greater opportunities for indulging his interest. He stayed in Australia for ten years (from 1877 until the end of 1886) working at Sydney Grammar School before returning to
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
to teach
classics
Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...
at
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent boarding school) for pupils aged 13 to 18 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. Founded in 1843 for the sons of Church ...
and become a corresponding member of the
Linnean Society of New South Wales
The Linnean Society of New South Wales promotes ''the Cultivation and Study of the Science of Natural History in all its Branches'' and was founded in Sydney, New South Wales (Australia) in 1874 and incorporated in 1884.
History
The Society succe ...
. He was the author of the ''Handbook of British Lepidoptera'' (1895) and of ''Exotic Microlepidoptera'' (March 1912 – November 1937), the latter consisting of four complete volumes and part of a fifth. He also wrote a number of short papers.
Meyrick was a life-long member of the Conservative party, and spent twelve years as president of the East Wilts Unionist Association.
Meyrick was a fellow of the
Royal Entomological Society of London
The Royal Entomological Society is devoted to the study of insects. Its aims are to disseminate information about insects and improving communication between entomologists.
The society was founded in 1833 as the Entomological Society of London ...
and a
fellow of the Royal Society
Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...
.
During his lifetime, he may have described more than 20,000 species of Lepidoptera.
His huge collection of specimens (over 100,000) is at the
Natural History Museum
A natural history museum or museum of natural history is a scientific institution with natural history collections that include current and historical records of animals, plants, fungi, ecosystems, geology, paleontology, climatology, and more. ...
,
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 ...
. It is believed that he had collected more specimens than anyone else. He encouraged scientific studies by amateurs and in a 1898 article, "Scientific Work in Local Societies ” he pointed out lines of research for members of Natural History Societies. His studies of Australian and New Zealand lepidoptera led him to suggest that the two were not formerly connected. He made use of ideas along the lines of
Dollo's laws to postulate principles to use to examine the evolution of the lepidoptera. In his ''Handbook of British Lepidoptera'' (1895) he stated that (1) No new organ can be produced except as a modification of some previously existing structure; (2) A lost organ cannot be regained; and (3) A rudimentary organ is rarely re-developed.
Edward Mayrick died after a brief illness and is buried in the churchyard at
Ramsbury
Ramsbury is a village and civil parish in the English county of Wiltshire. The village is in the Kennet Valley near the Berkshire boundary. The nearest towns are Hungerford about east and Marlborough about west. The much larger town of Swindon ...
, Wiltshire.
References
External links
Biography National Library New ZealandBiographical Database of South African Scienceportrait
*
''A Handbook of British Lepidoptera''via Internet Archive
''Exotic Microlepidoptera''volumes 1 and 2 via Biodiversity Heritage Library
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meyrick
1854 births
1938 deaths
19th-century British zoologists
20th-century British zoologists
Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge
English lepidopterists
English taxonomists
Fellows of the Royal Entomological Society
Fellows of the Royal Society
Fellows of the Zoological Society of London
People educated at Marlborough College
01
Place of birth missing
Place of death missing