Edward Donovan

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Nymphalis Bernardus from Donovan's Insects of China

Edward Donovan (* 1768 in Cork ; † February 1, 1837 in London ) was a British-Irish zoologist and illustrator.

Life

Donovan was a collector of natural history objects and the author and illustrator of books on natural history, for example on insects in China, India and Indonesia as well as on native British insects, fish, birds and mollusks. He had a small zoological-botanical museum in London (London Museum and Institute of Natural History in Catherine Street, The Strand) in 1817 until it was forced to be liquidated (auctioned in 1818), with specimens of British flora and fauna in particular. Donovan himself did not go abroad on a collecting trip; most of the exotic specimens described in his books were found in London collections. He was a Fellow of the Linnean Society and the Wernerian Society in Edinburgh, founded by Robert Jameson . He must have been wealthy originally. In 1833 he complained bitterly in a pamphlet about publishers and booksellers who had deprived him of the proceeds from his extensive publications. He died in poverty.

From 1789 to 1790 he published the journal Botanical Review, or the beauties of Flora . From 1823 to 1825 he published the monthly journal The Naturalist's Repository .

Fonts

  • The natural history of British insects explaining them in their several states, with the periods of their transformations, their food, oeconomy, & c. together with the history of such minute insects as require investigation by the microscope, the whole illustrated by colored figures, designed and executed from living specimens , 16 volumes, London Printed for the author, and for Rivington, 1792–1813
  • The Natural History of British Birds; or, a Selection of the most Rare, Beautiful, and Interesting Birds which inhabit this country , 10 volumes, London 1794-1819.
  • The natural history of British fishes: including scientific and general descriptions of the most interesting species, and an extensive selection of accurately finished colored plates, taken entirely from original drawings, purposely made from the specimens in a recent state, and for the most part whilst whilst living by E. Donovan, London: Printed for the author, and for F. and C. Rivington, 1802-1808
  • The Naturalist's Repository, or Miscellany of Exotic Natural History Exhibiting Rare and Beautiful Specimens of Foreign Birds, Insects, Shells, Quadrupeds, Fish and Marine Productions , 5 volumes, London, 1822-1827.
  • The Natural History of British Shells, including Figures and Descriptions of all the Species Hitherto Discovered in Great Britain, Systematically Arranged in the Linnean Manner, with Scientific and General Observations on Each , 5 volumes
  • An Epitome of the Natural History of the insects of India, and the islands in the Indian Seas: Comprising upwards to two hundred and fifty figures and descriptions of the most singular and beautiful species, selected chiefly from those recently discovered, and which have not appeared in the works of any preceding author. The figures are accurately drawn, engraved, and colored, from specimens of the insects; the descriptions are arranged according to the system of Linnaeus; with references to the writings of Fabricius , and other systematic authors . Printed for the Author by T. Bensley, London
  • An Epitome of the Natural History of the Insects of China Comprising Figures and Descriptions of Upwards of One Hundred New, Singular, and Beautiful Species; Together with some that are of Importance in Medicine, Domestic Economy, & c London: Printed for the Author, by T. Bensley, 1798.
  • An Epitome of the Natural History of the Insects of New Holland, New Zealand, New Guinea, Otaheite, and other islands in the Indian, Southern and Pacific Oceans: including the figures and descriptions of one hundred and fifty-three species of the more splendid , beautiful, and interesting insects, hitherto discovered in those countries, and which for the most part have not appeared in the works of any preceding author. The figures are correctly delineated from specimens of the insects; and with the descriptions are arranged according to the Linnean system, with reference to the writings of Fabricius and other entomologists . London. 1805.
  • Instructions for collecting and preserving various subjects of natural history: as quasrupeds, birds, reptiles, fishes, shells, corals, plants, & c .: together with a treatise on the management of insects in their several states; selected from the best authorities by E. Donovan , 2nd edition, London, Rivington 1805
  • Excursions in South Wales and Monmouthshire , 1805 (describing the insect fauna of South Wales)

literature

  • Michael Salmon: The Aurelian Legacy: British Butterflies and Their Collectors . University of California Press, 2000, p. 129
  • Donovan, Edward . In: Encyclopædia Britannica . 11th edition. tape 8 : Demijohn - Edward . London 1910, p. 419 (English, full text [ Wikisource ]).

Web links

Commons : Edward Donovan  - collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Donovan, Edward
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British draftsman and zoologist
DATE OF BIRTH 1768
PLACE OF BIRTH Cork
DATE OF DEATH February 1, 1837
Place of death London