William Watkins (1849–1900) 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 ...

. He was an insect dealer who began trading exotic butterflies in 1874 in

Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. Eastbourne is immediately east of Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the la ...

. In 1879 established a natural history supplies and specimen dealership and moved to 36 The Strand, London, in partnership with Arthur Doncaster, and the dealership became Watkins & Doncaster. The partnership was dissolved after only a year but the business retained his name.Salmon, Michael A., Marren, Peter, and Harley, Basil, (2000) The Aurelian Legacy: British butterflies and their Collectors, University of California Press, p.403-4 In 1937 ownership passed to Frederick Metté an expert on bird eggs.

References

* Groll, E. K. (Hrsg.): Biografien der Entomologen der Welt : Datenbank. Version 4.15 : Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut, 201

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watkins, William English entomologists 1849 births 1900 deaths