James Charles Dale
Encyclopedia
James Charles Dale was a wealthy English
naturalist
who devoted almost all of his adult life to entomology
.
James Dale was the son of wealthy landowners. He received his education at Cambridge University
receiving his MA in 1818. He was a friend of James Francis Stephens
, frequently mentioned in that author's Illustrations of British Entomology and of John Curtis
who refers to him frequently in his British Entomology. Another close friend was the Irish entomologist Alexander Henry Haliday
. The references are mainly to Coleoptera though Dale worked on all Orders
.
His first note, on Lepidoptera was published, in the Magazine of Natural History in 1830. This was followed by some 83 further notes and articles covering a wide range of topics.
He was elected a member of the first Entomological Society of London on 25 June 1822. He was appointed High Sheriff of Dorset
for 1843.
beetles from Madeira, Cape Verde, Canary Islands and St. Helena. It is still housed separately from the main collections. Dale’s manuscripts and notebooks are in the Hope Library.
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...
naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
who devoted almost all of his adult life to entomology
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
.
James Dale was the son of wealthy landowners. He received his education at Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
receiving his MA in 1818. He was a friend of James Francis Stephens
James Francis Stephens
James 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...
, frequently mentioned in that author's Illustrations of British Entomology and of John Curtis
John Curtis (entomologist)
John Curtis was an English entomologist and illustrator.-Biography:Curtis was born in Norwich and learned his engraving skills in the workshop of his father, Charles Morgan Curtis...
who refers to him frequently in his British Entomology. Another close friend was the Irish entomologist Alexander Henry Haliday
Alexander Henry Haliday
Alexander Henry Haliday, also known as Enrico Alessandro Haliday and Alexis Heinrich Haliday sometimes Halliday , was an Irish entomologist. He is primarily known for his work on Hymenoptera, Diptera and Thysanoptera, but Haliday worked on all insect orders and on many aspects of entomology.Haliday...
. The references are mainly to Coleoptera though Dale worked on all Orders
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
.
His first note, on Lepidoptera was published, in the Magazine of Natural History in 1830. This was followed by some 83 further notes and articles covering a wide range of topics.
He was elected a member of the first Entomological Society of London on 25 June 1822. He was appointed High Sheriff of Dorset
High Sheriff of Dorset
The High Sheriff of Dorset is an ancient High Sheriff title which has been in existence for over one thousand years. The position was once a powerful position responsible for collecting taxes and enforcing law and order in Dorset. In modern times the sheriff has become a ceremonial role, presiding...
for 1843.
Works
'Catalogue of the Coleopterous Insects of Dorsetshire', in Nat., 2, 1837, pp. 408-415, and 3, 1838, pp. 12-18.Collections
Dale’s collection is in the Hope Department of Entomology.The Dalean collection was housed in 33 cabinets when it was received at Oxford in 1906, of which five cabinets were devoted to Coleoptera. Included in the latter are four drawers of Thomas Vernon WollastonThomas Vernon Wollaston
Thomas Vernon Wollaston was a prominent English entomologist and malacologist, becoming especially known for his studies of Coleoptera inhabiting several North Atlantic archipelagoes. He was well-placed socially. His religious beliefs effectively prevented him from supporting Darwin's theories...
beetles from Madeira, Cape Verde, Canary Islands and St. Helena. It is still housed separately from the main collections. Dale’s manuscripts and notebooks are in the Hope Library.