Howard Saunders
Encyclopedia
Howard Saunders was a British
businessman, who later in life molded himself into a noted ornithologist.
on 16 September 1835. He received his early education at Leatherhead
and Rottingdean
.
Saunders entered business as a merchant bank
er. This allowed him to travel widely. From 1855 to 1862 he traveled in Brazil
and Chile
.
. He published several articles on the subject in The Ibis, having visited the Pyrenees
in 1883 and 1884. He also published articles on the birds of Switzerland
in 1891, and an account of The Distribution of Birds in France
in 1893.
Saunders was an expert on gull
s and tern
s. He served as secretary of the British Ornithologists' Union
from 1901 to 1907, and first Secretary and Treasurer of the British Ornithologists' Club
. He was also an active member of the Zoological, Linnean and Royal Geographical Societies
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
businessman, who later in life molded himself into a noted ornithologist.
Biography
Saunders was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 16 September 1835. He received his early education at Leatherhead
Leatherhead
Leatherhead is a town in the County of Surrey, England, on the River Mole, part of Mole Valley district. It is thought to be of Saxon origin...
and Rottingdean
Rottingdean
Rottingdean is a coastal village next to the town of Brighton and technically within the city of Brighton and Hove, in East Sussex, on the south coast of England...
.
Saunders entered business as a merchant bank
Merchant bank
A merchant bank is a financial institution which provides capital to companies in the form of share ownership instead of loans. A merchant bank also provides advisory on corporate matters to the firms they lend to....
er. This allowed him to travel widely. From 1855 to 1862 he traveled in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
Career in Ornithology
After 1862 Saunders devoted himself to the study of the avifauna of SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. He published several articles on the subject in The Ibis, having visited the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
in 1883 and 1884. He also published articles on the birds of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in 1891, and an account of The Distribution of Birds in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1893.
Saunders was an expert on gull
Gull
Gulls are birds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns and only distantly related to auks, skimmers, and more distantly to the waders...
s and tern
Tern
Terns are seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily of the gull family Laridae . They form a lineage with the gulls and skimmers which in turn is related to skuas and auks...
s. He served as secretary of the British Ornithologists' Union
British Ornithologists' Union
The British Ornithologists' Union aims to encourage the study of birds in Britain, Europe and elsewhere, in order to understand their biology and to aid their conservation....
from 1901 to 1907, and first Secretary and Treasurer of the British Ornithologists' Club
British Ornithologists' Club
The British Ornithologists' Club was founded in October 1892 to promote discussion between ornithologists and to produce a journal, their Bulletin, which has been published continuously since that year....
. He was also an active member of the Zoological, Linnean and Royal Geographical Societies
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
.
Legacy
Two species of birds have been named in his honor:- Saunders's GullSaunders's GullSaunders's Gull is a species of gull in the Laridae family.It is found in China, Hong Kong, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Macau, Russia, Taiwan, and Vietnam....
- Saunders's TernSaunders's TernThe Saunders's Tern is a species of tern in the Sternidae family.It is found in Bahrain, Iran, Israel, Kenya, Madagascar, Pakistan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.-References:...