George Shaw
Encyclopedia
George Shaw was an English
botanist and zoologist.
Shaw was born at Bierton
, Buckinghamshire
and was educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, receiving his M.A. in 1772. He took up the profession of medical practitioner. In 1786 he became the assistant lecturer in botany at Oxford University. He was a co-founder of the Linnean Society in 1788, and became a fellow of the Royal Society
in 1789.
In 1791 Shaw became assistant keeper of the natural history department at the British Museum
, succeeding Edward Whitaker Gray
as keeper in 1806. He found that most of the items donated to the museum by Hans Sloane
were in very bad condition. Medical and anatomical material was sent to the museum at the Royal College of Surgeons
, but many of the stuffed animals and birds had deteriorated and had to be burnt. The pay from the museum was so poor that Shaw had to spend much of his time writing, and thus neglected the upkeep of the collection. He was succeeded after his death by his assistant Charles Konig
.
Shaw published one of the first English descriptions with scientific names of several of the common Australian animals in his "Zoology of New Holland
" (1794). He was among the first scientists to examine a platypus
and published the first scientific description of it in The Naturalist's Miscellany in 1799.
In the field of herpetology
he described numerous new species of reptiles and amphibians.
His other publications included:
http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=George%20Shaw%20General%20Zoology&sort=-date
The standard botanical author abbreviation G.Shaw is applied to species
he described.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
botanist and zoologist.
Shaw was born at Bierton
Bierton
Bierton is a village in Buckinghamshire, England, about half a mile northeast of the town of Aylesbury. It is a mainly farming parish, 10 km² in size....
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
and was educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, receiving his M.A. in 1772. He took up the profession of medical practitioner. In 1786 he became the assistant lecturer in botany at Oxford University. He was a co-founder of the Linnean Society in 1788, and became a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1789.
In 1791 Shaw became assistant keeper of the natural history department at the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, succeeding Edward Whitaker Gray
Edward Whitaker Gray
Edward Whitaker Gray , English botanist and secretary to the Royal Society, was uncle of Samuel Frederick Gray, author of The Practical Chemist.-Educational and professional roles:...
as keeper in 1806. He found that most of the items donated to the museum by Hans Sloane
Hans Sloane
Sir Hans Sloane, 1st Baronet, PRS was an Ulster-Scot physician and collector, notable for bequeathing his collection to the British nation which became the foundation of the British Museum...
were in very bad condition. Medical and anatomical material was sent to the museum at the Royal College of Surgeons
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
, but many of the stuffed animals and birds had deteriorated and had to be burnt. The pay from the museum was so poor that Shaw had to spend much of his time writing, and thus neglected the upkeep of the collection. He was succeeded after his death by his assistant Charles Konig
Charles Konig
Charles Dietrich Eberhard Konig or Karl Dietrich Eberhard König was a German naturalist.-Biography:He was born in Brunswick and educated at Göttingen. He came to England at the end of 1800 to organize the collections of Queen Charlotte. On the completion of this work he became assistant to...
.
Shaw published one of the first English descriptions with scientific names of several of the common Australian animals in his "Zoology of New Holland
New Holland (Australia)
New Holland is a historic name for the island continent of Australia. The name was first applied to Australia in 1644 by the Dutch seafarer Abel Tasman as Nova Hollandia, naming it after the Dutch province of Holland, and remained in use for 180 years....
" (1794). He was among the first scientists to examine a platypus
Platypus
The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young...
and published the first scientific description of it in The Naturalist's Miscellany in 1799.
In the field of herpetology
Herpetology
Herpetology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians and reptiles...
he described numerous new species of reptiles and amphibians.
His other publications included:
- Museum Leverianum, containing select specimens from the museum of the late Sir Ashton LeverAshton LeverSir Ashton Lever was an English collector of natural objects.-Biography:Ashton Lever was born in 1729 to well off titled parents who lived at Alkrington Hall...
(1792-6) - General Zoology, or Systematic Natural History (16 vol.) (1809-1826) (volumes IX to XVI by James Francis StephensJames Francis StephensJames Francis Stephens was an English entomologist.-Biography:Stephens was born in Shoreham-by-Sea and studied at Christ's Hospital.He was employed in the Admiralty office, Somerset House, from 1807 to 1845...
)
http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=George%20Shaw%20General%20Zoology&sort=-date
- The Naturalist's Miscellany: Or, Coloured Figures Of Natural Objects; Drawn and Described Immediately From Nature (1789-1813) with Frederick Polydore NodderFrederick Polydore NodderFrederick Polydore Nodder was an English flora and fauna illustrator.Nodder illustrated George Shaw's periodical The Naturalist's Miscellany. He also helped Joseph Banks prepare the Banks' Florilegium and converted most of Sydney Parkinson's Australian plant drawings into paintings and helped...
(artist and engraver).
The standard botanical author abbreviation G.Shaw is applied to species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
he described.