Thomas Vernon Wollaston
Encyclopedia
Thomas Vernon Wollaston (9 March 1822 – 4 January 1878) 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 after 1859, but Darwin remained a close friend. Wollaston supported the theory that continental lands had once extended outward farther to encompass some of the island groups he studied.
, Lincolnshire
, England, in 1822. In 1845 he gained a B.A. degree from Jesus College, Cambridge
, and in 1847 he was made a fellow of the Linnean Society.
Wollaston spent the winter of 1847-1848 in Madeira
, returning for his Cambridge M.A. graduation in 1849. In the years to 1855 he made four long trips to Madeira. In that year the British Museum
purchased his Madeiran collection of Coleoptera. They are now in the Natural History Museum
.
In 1858 Wollaston returned to the North Atlantic islands, investigating the investigating natural history of the Canary Islands
with Richard Thomas Lowe
and John Edward Gray
in 1858, returning with Lowe alone in 1859. After a long and rather mysterious absence he returned to the islands in 1866, this time to Cape Verde Islands with Lowe and Gray. The last trip was to St. Helena with his wife, and Gray.
Wollaston died at Teignmouth
, Devon
, England, in 1878.
Wollaston also wrote many short, and some lengthy, papers on North Atlantic archipelago Coleoptera. A paper attributed to Wollaston on the Diptera of Madeira was almost certainly written by Alexander Henry Haliday
.
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 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 after 1859, but Darwin remained a close friend. Wollaston supported the theory that continental lands had once extended outward farther to encompass some of the island groups he studied.
Life
Thomas Vernon Wollaston was born in ScotterScotter
Scotter is a large village and civil parish in West Lindsey, Lincolnshire, England, situated between Scunthorpe and Gainsborough.-Geography:The A159 road, which connects the two towns, crosses the River Eau in the village...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England, in 1822. In 1845 he gained a B.A. degree from Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
, and in 1847 he was made a fellow of the Linnean Society.
Wollaston spent the winter of 1847-1848 in Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
, returning for his Cambridge M.A. graduation in 1849. In the years to 1855 he made four long trips to Madeira. In that year 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...
purchased his Madeiran collection of Coleoptera. They are now in the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
.
In 1858 Wollaston returned to the North Atlantic islands, investigating the investigating natural history of the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
with Richard Thomas Lowe
Richard Thomas Lowe
Richard Thomas Lowe was a British botanist, ichthyologist, malacologist, and clergyman. In 1825 he graduated from Christ's College, Cambridge and in the same year took holy orders. He became a clergyman in the Madeira Islands in 1832, where he was a part-time naturalist, extensively studying the...
and John Edward Gray
John Edward Gray
John Edward Gray, FRS was a British zoologist. He was the elder brother of George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray ....
in 1858, returning with Lowe alone in 1859. After a long and rather mysterious absence he returned to the islands in 1866, this time to Cape Verde Islands with Lowe and Gray. The last trip was to St. Helena with his wife, and Gray.
Wollaston died at Teignmouth
Teignmouth
Teignmouth is a town and civil parish in Teignbridge in the English county of Devon, situated on the north bank of the estuary mouth of the River Teign about 14 miles south of Exeter. It has a population of 14,413. In 1690, it was the last place in England to be invaded by a foreign power...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England, in 1878.
Selected works
- Insecta Maderensia (1854)
- Coleoptera Atlantidum (1865)
- Coleoptera Sanctæ-Helenæ (1877)
Wollaston also wrote many short, and some lengthy, papers on North Atlantic archipelago Coleoptera. A paper attributed to Wollaston on the Diptera of Madeira was almost certainly written by 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...
.
Further reading
- Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
- Entomologist's Monthly Magazine, Vol. 14 (1877–1878): 213-215.
- Archives of Natural History, Vol. 22 (1995): 333-348.
External links
- T. Vernon Wollaston Un ėntomologo en la Macronesia Extensive Account