James Ritchie (zoologist)

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James Ritchie on a painting by Alfred Edward Borthwick in the Royal Society of Edinburgh

James Ritchie (born May 27, 1882 in Port Elphinstone , Aberdeenshire , † October 19, 1958 ) was a Scottish zoologist and archaeologist , Regius Professor of Natural History at the University of Aberdeen (1930-1936) and President (1954-1958) of Royal Society of Edinburgh .

Life

Ritchie was born the son of local teacher James Ritchie in Port Elphinstone, Aberdeenshire. After attending Gordon's College in Aberdeen and graduating (MA), Ritchie studied science. 1921 to 1930 he worked as a curator (keeper) of the natural history department of the Royal Scottish Museum in Edinburgh. In 1930 he was appointed professor of natural history at the University of Aberdeen until he was offered a professorship in Edinburgh in 1937, which he held until 1952. In 1952 he retired from teaching.

Ritchie married Jessie Jane Elliot, with whom he had a son, Anthony Elliot Ritchie (1915-1997). After his death on October 19, 1958, he left a collection of marine animal preparations to the Royal Scottish Museum .

Awards

In 1916 Ritchie was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His advocates were Thomas Carlaw Martin , James Cossar Ewart , James Hartley Ashworth, and Cargill Gilston Knott . The society honored him with the Keith Medal (1941-1943). For his services, Ritchie was named Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1948. The University of Aberdeen honored him with an honorary doctorate (LL.D.).

bibliography

  • 1920: The Influence of Man on Animal Life in Scotland; A Study of Faunal Evolution
  • 1932: Beasts and birds as farm pests
  • Perspectives in evolution
  • The Hydroids of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition

Individual evidence

  1. ^ G. Buttars et al .: Natural History. In: University of Edinburgh website, Our History. November 4, 2016, accessed April 23, 2019 .
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h C. D. Waterston and A. Macmillan Shearer: Former Fellows of The Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783 - 2002. Biographical Index Part Two. The Royal Society of Edinburgh, 2006, accessed April 23, 2019 .
personal data
SURNAME Ritchie, James
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Ritchie, J.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Scottish naturalist and university professor
DATE OF BIRTH May 27, 1882
PLACE OF BIRTH Port Elphinstone
DATE OF DEATH October 19, 1958