Herbert Jordan Adams (1838 – 1 March 1912) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

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 ...

. Adams was born 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 ...

in 1838. His schoolboy collection of butterflies and moths formed the basis of an excellent collection of British ''

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

''. Following the death of his mother and the sale of her house and land at

Chase Park ''Chase Park'' is the fifth studio album from Magnapop, released on September 4, 2009. The recording is the first from the band released independently on the vanity label The Kraft Records. Lead songwriters Linda Hopper and Ruthie Morris began wri ...

, Enfield, Adams moved to a nearby house, Roseneath,The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine, collected vols 48 and 49, Entomologist's Monthly Magazine Ltd, 1912, pp. 142, 243 and amassed 68 cabinets and some 600 cartons of European and World butterflies. He employed Percy Ireland Lathy to curate the collection and describe the new species it contained. He became a

fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

of the Royal Entomological Society in 1877. Adams died at Enfield in 1912. His collection of British ''Lepidoptera'' was bequeathed to the Enfield Entomological Society, of which he was a co-founder. The main collection, containing very rare species of

Papilionidae Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies in the family Papilionidae, and include over 550 species. Though the majority are tropical, members of the family inhabit every continent except Antarctica. The family includes the larges ...

, ''

Ornithoptera ''Ornithoptera'' is a genus of birdwing butterflies found in the northern portion of the Australasian realm, east of Weber's line; the Moluccas, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and northeastern Australia. Except for ''Ornithoptera richmondia'' ...

'', ''

Morpho The morpho butterflies comprise many species of Neotropical butterfly under the genus ''Morpho''. This genus includes more than 29 accepted species and 147 accepted subspecies, found mostly in South America, Mexico, and Central America. ''Morph ...

'', ''

Agrias ''Agrias'' is a genus of Neotropical charaxine nymphalid butterflies found in South and Central America. The German lepidopterist Hans Fruhstorfer wrote: "In this magnificent tropical genus, upon which nature seems to have showered all her abu ...

'', ''

Catagramma ''"Catagramma"'' is an obsolete genus of Neotropical butterflies; the name continues to be used e.g. among butterfly collectors as a form taxon. ''"Catagramma"'' species are popularly known as 88s, in reference to a pattern on the hindwing und ...

'', '' Prepona'', and '' Charaxes'', was given to the Natural History Museum where it is now conserved.

References

* Obit. ''

Entomologist's Monthly Magazine ''Entomologist's Monthly Magazine'' is a British entomological journal, founded by a staff of five editors – T. Blackburn, H. G. Knaggs, M.D., R. McLachlan, F.L.S., E. C. Rye and H. T. Stainton – and first published in 1864.Wale, Matthew ...

'' 48:243, 191

Entomologists from London English lepidopterists People from Enfield, London 1838 births 1912 deaths {{UK-entomologist-stub