James Francis Stephens
Encyclopedia
James Francis Stephens was an English
entomologist.
and studied at Christ's Hospital
.
He was employed in the Admiralty office, Somerset House
, from 1807 to 1845. In his spare time he assisted William Elford Leach
in arranging the insect
collection at the British Museum
(In 1818 he was seconded to the British Museum, and on completion of his work returned to the Admiralty).He made a large insect collection, which contains many type
specimens. After his retirement this collection was purchased by the British Museum.
In 1833, he was a founder of what became the Royal Entomological Society of London
.
This work, following an older system of classification, consists of 7 volumes of Mandibulata (insects with chewing mouthparts/mandibles), 4 volumes of Haustellata (insects with sucking mouthparts, such as the Lepidopteran haustellum), and 1 supplementary volume. The plates are coloured by hand, after drawings by C.M. Curtis and John Obadiah Westwood
British Entomology (1824–1839). This gave rise to an acrimonious dispute which split the British entomological establishment into opposing factions for over thirty years. They were never reconciled despite Stephen’s close friend John Obadiah Westwood’s
attempt to heal the rift.
, the student Charles Darwin
became an enthusiastic insect collector. He sent Stephens records of the rarer insects he had captured, and was delighted when Illustrations of British entomology gave him credit for capturing insects described in 33 entries, quoting his words in all but two of the cases. Darwin recalled in his autobiography "No poet ever felt more delight at seeing his first poem published than I did at seeing in Stephen's Illustrations of British Insects the magic words, 'captured by C. Darwin, Esq.' ", though the closest wording as published actually appeared slightly differently, as "captured by the Rev. F. W. Hope and C. Darwin, Esq., in North Wales" and "Taken in North Wales by C. Darwin, Esq.".
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...
entomologist.
Biography
Stephens was born in Shoreham-by-SeaShoreham-by-Sea
Shoreham-by-Sea is a small town, port and seaside resort in West Sussex, England. Shoreham-by-Sea railway station is located less than a mile from the town centre and London Gatwick Airport is away...
and studied at Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
.
He was employed in the Admiralty office, Somerset House
Somerset House
Somerset House is a large building situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, England, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The central block of the Neoclassical building, the outstanding project of the architect Sir William Chambers, dates from 1776–96. It...
, from 1807 to 1845. In his spare time he assisted William Elford Leach
William Elford Leach
William Elford Leach FRS was an English zoologist and marine biologist.Leach was born at Hoe Gate, Plymouth, the son of a solicitor. At the age of twelve he went to school in Exeter, studying anatomy and chemistry. By this time he was already collecting marine samples from Plymouth Sound and along...
in arranging the insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
collection 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...
(In 1818 he was seconded to the British Museum, and on completion of his work returned to the Admiralty).He made a large insect collection, which contains many type
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
specimens. After his retirement this collection was purchased by the British Museum.
In 1833, he was a founder of what became the Royal Entomological Society of London
Royal Entomological Society of London
The Royal Entomological Society of London is devoted to insect study. It has a major national and international role in disseminating information about insects and improving communication between entomologists....
.
Works
Stephens was the author of- General zoology, or Systematic natural history London, Printed for G. Kearsley in part with George ShawGeorge ShawGeorge 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...
and sole author of the last 6 volumes of the 16 volumes after the death of George Shaw (1800–1826) - I-II Mammalia (1800), III- Amphibia (1802), Pisces (1803-4), VI Insecta (1806), VII-VIII Aves (1809-120, IX-XIV, pt. 1. Aves (J. F. Stephens alone) (1815–26), XIV, pt. 2 General index to the zoology by G. Shaw and J. F. Stephens (1826) - Nomenclature of British Insects: Being a Compendious List of Such Species (1829).
- A systematic Catalogue of British insects: being an attempt to arrange all the hitherto discovered indigenous insects in accordance with their natural affinities. Containing also the references to every English writer on entomology, and to the principal foreign authors. With all the published British genera to the present time(1829.)
- Illustrations of British Entomology; or, a synopsis of indigenous insects, containing their generic and specific distinctions; with an account of their metamorphoses, times of appearance, localities, food, and economy, as far as practicable.In ten volumes. (1828–1846). Click for pdf: http://www.toyen.uio.no/entomology/gusarov/Library/Stephens.htm
This work, following an older system of classification, consists of 7 volumes of Mandibulata (insects with chewing mouthparts/mandibles), 4 volumes of Haustellata (insects with sucking mouthparts, such as the Lepidopteran haustellum), and 1 supplementary volume. The plates are coloured by hand, after drawings by C.M. Curtis and John Obadiah Westwood
John Obadiah Westwood
John Obadiah Westwood was an English entomologist and archaeologist also noted for his artistic talents.Born in Sheffield, he studied to be a lawyer but abandoned that for his scientific interests....
Dispute with Curtis
Stephen’s Illustrations of British Entomology, often entitled simply British Entomology was in immediate competition with 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...
British Entomology (1824–1839). This gave rise to an acrimonious dispute which split the British entomological establishment into opposing factions for over thirty years. They were never reconciled despite Stephen’s close friend John Obadiah Westwood’s
John Obadiah Westwood
John Obadiah Westwood was an English entomologist and archaeologist also noted for his artistic talents.Born in Sheffield, he studied to be a lawyer but abandoned that for his scientific interests....
attempt to heal the rift.
Charles Darwin
While at the University of CambridgeUniversity 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...
, the student Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
became an enthusiastic insect collector. He sent Stephens records of the rarer insects he had captured, and was delighted when Illustrations of British entomology gave him credit for capturing insects described in 33 entries, quoting his words in all but two of the cases. Darwin recalled in his autobiography "No poet ever felt more delight at seeing his first poem published than I did at seeing in Stephen's Illustrations of British Insects the magic words, 'captured by C. Darwin, Esq.' ", though the closest wording as published actually appeared slightly differently, as "captured by the Rev. F. W. Hope and C. Darwin, Esq., in North Wales" and "Taken in North Wales by C. Darwin, Esq.".