Hugh Cuming
Hugh Cuming , also Hugh Cumming , (* 14. February 1791 in Washbrook , Devon ; † 10. August 1865 in London ) was an English naturalist (Engl. Naturalist ) and malacologist . He is best known for his large and important collection of molluscs , for which he was also referred to as the Prince of Collectors ("Prince of Collectors").
Live and act
Cuming was born in West Alvington (Devon), did an apprenticeship as a sailmaker and at the age of 28 he moved to Chile ( Valparaíso ), where he began collecting snails in the Southwest Pacific region, which he also sailed with his own yacht. In 1831 he returned to England. A second major trip took him to the Philippines between 1836 and 1839 .
Cumming's collection of molluscs comprised 82,992 specimens when it was acquired by London's Natural History Museum in 1866 for the handsome price of £ 6,000. This collection provided numerous zoologists with much-needed research material. Several significant malacological works based primarily on pieces from Cumming's collection, such as Lovell Augustus Reeves Conchologia Iconica (1843–1878) in 20 volumes and the Thesaurus Conchyliorum by George Brettingham Sowerby I (1842–1887, five volumes). Also William Dunker was one of those malacologists that were intense exchanges with Cuming, studied his material and it described new species.
In addition to conchylia, he also collected dried plants and live orchids.
Memberships
In 1842, Cuming was introduced by Sauveur Abel Aubert to Petit de la Saussaye as member number 252 of the Société cuviérienne .
literature
- Ray Desmond: Dictionary of British and Irish Botanists and Horticulturalists: Including Plant Collectors, Flower Painters and Garden Designers . Taylor & Francis, London 1994, ISBN 0-85066-843-3 ( books.google.de ).
- Société Cuvierienne: Nouveaux membres admis dans la Société curvienne . In: Revue Zoologique par La Société Cuvierienne . tape 5 , 1842, pp. 68 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
Web links
- Hugh Cuming in the database of Find a Grave (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ Société cuviérienne, p. 69.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Cuming, Hugh |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Cumming, Hugh |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | English naturalist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 14, 1791 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Washbrook , Devon |
| DATE OF DEATH | August 10, 1865 |
| Place of death | London |