John Ellis (naturalist)

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John Ellis (* 1710 or 1714 in Ireland ; † October 15, 1776 in London ) was an Irish botanist and zoologist who worked intensively with zoophytes , among other things . Its official botanical author's abbreviation is " J.Ellis ".

Life

John Ellis was born in either 1710 (derived from James Edward Smith ) or 1714 (indicated on his marriage certificate of June 29, 1754). He is very likely related to the Irish Henry Ellis (1721-1806), the second colonial governor of Georgia and governor of Nova Scotia . Around 1733 he had established himself as a linen dealer in Lawrence Lane in London . In 1753 he became an agent of the Irish Linen Board in London and campaigned for the interests of the Irish linen trade in the 1750s. In the mid-1750s he became a member of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce , of which he was a member until 1760.

On April 16, 1752, he attended a meeting of the Royal Society for the first time as a guest of Philip Carteret Webb (1700? –1770), whose garden in Busbridge he had laid out . Just two months later, on June 17, 1752, his first independent publication about his studies of marine fauna and flora was read out. In 1754 he became a member of the Royal Society and a year later published his first more extensive work An essay towards the Natural History of the Corallines . For Philosophical Transactions he made a total of 27 botanical and zoological contributions.

In the first half of 1754, Ellis married. His first daughter Martha was born on December 27, 1754. The twins Mary and Elizabeth, born on May 6, 1758, and his wife died in 1758.

He had to file for bankruptcy in January 1760 for the trading company that he ran with his partner James Fivey. He moved from Lawrence Lane to a furnished room at Gray's Inn , where he lived until 1774.

John Ellis had extensive relationships with the British colonies in North America . He tried, for example, to introduce rhubarb and tea there, and in 1758 even proposed to suspend rewards for the successful introduction of plants in Georgia as well as North Carolina and South Carolina . In 1763 he received the post of "Royal Agent" for West Florida with the support of Henry Ellis and Lord Robert Henley (1708–1772) . In this position he had to manage the funds made available by the Crown to maintain the colonial government from London. After his bankruptcy in 1760, he was financially secure again and could devote himself to his scientific studies. In 1770, Ellis was also given the task of "Colonial Agent" for the Caribbean island of Dominica .

Around March 1771, Ellis became seriously ill. His health subsequently deteriorated more and more. In 1774 he could barely see and moved to the country in Hampstead. He died on October 15, 1776.

Act

John Ellis first appeared in public as a naturalist when, between the autumn of 1751 and the spring of 1752, he arranged a shipment of plants and corals from Anglesey and Dublin to attract the attention of Stephen Hales . His studies on plants and marine animals are mainly characterized by the use of the microscope .

Carl von Linné's judgment of Ellis in 1772:

“You are still the mainstay of natural history in England, as your attention is always on anything that augments and encourages this study. Without your help, the rest of the world would know little about the finds made by your fellow countrymen in every part of the world. They are the portal through which nature lovers are guided to these discoveries. For my part, I affirm that I have obtained more information from your various kinds of help than from any other person. "

Zoological contributions

Together with the draftsman Charles Brooking (1723-1759) Ellis visited the island of Sheppey in August 1752 and examined corals with the help of a water microscope designed by John Cuff (around 1708-1772) , which later became known as the "Ellisches Wassermicroscope" . Two years later, accompanied by Georg Dionysius Ehret , he again examined corals off Brighthelmstone in Sussex and, based on these studies, was able to publish his first comprehensive work An essay towards the Natural History of the Corallines in 1755 .

In the following years he dealt with sponges , sea ​​lilies and sea ​​feathers . In 1765, in On the Nature and Formation of Sponges, he described the similarities between sponges and the leather coral Alcyonium digitatum ( Dead Sea Hand ), which led him to believe that sponges are animals.

In 1768 he was honored with the Copley Medal by John Pringle for his contributions On the Animal Nature of the Genus of Zoophytes, Called Corallina and An Account of the Actinia Sociata . In the first article he described the sea ​​anemone Actinia sociata from the Caribbean as a separate species that was previously considered a colony of polyps . Through microscopic observations and chemical analyzes, which he carried out with the support of Daniel Solander and Peter Woulfe , he was able to prove in the second writing that corals are animals and not, as claimed by Job Baster and Peter Simon Pallas , plants.

In the meantime, he published the description of the male and female cochineal scale insects ( Dactylopius coccus ) and, together with John Hunter, the description of an arm newt discovered in South Carolina by Alexander Garden .

Shortly before his death in 1775 he was able to prove that the soft corals of the genus Gorgonia must be added to the animal kingdom. Ellis could not finish the work he had started on zoophytes . Thanks to the financial support of John Fothergill and later of Joseph Banks and the taxonomic help of Daniel Solander, his daughter Martha published her father's work posthumously in 1776 under the title A Natural History of Many Uncommon and Curious Zoophytes .

Botanical contributions

John Ellis' botanical contributions are not quite as extensive as his zoological achievements. In 1761 he described the two plant genera Gardenia and Halesia ( Halesia tetraptera ) for the first time . 1767/68 he studied at the request of Linnaeus fungus - spores microscopically. In 1768 he published the first description of the Venus flytrap ( Dionaea muscipula ), the illustration of which was part of the 1st edition of his monograph on the gentle transport of seeds and plants ( Directions for bringing over seeds and plants, from the East Indies ), published in 1770 .

In 1770 the Florida star anise ( Illicium floridanum ) was described and in 1771 the genus Gordonia with the species Gordonia lasianthus . His last work, Historical Account of Coffee (1774) , published during his lifetime, dealt with the history of coffee .

Dedication names

Carl von Linné named the species Ellisia from the water leaf family (Hydrophyllaceae) in his honor .

Fonts

Works

  • An essay towards a natural history of the Corallines, and other productions of the like kind, commonly found on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, to which is added the description of a large marine polype taken near the North Pole, by whale-fishers , in the summer of 1753 . A. Millar, J. and J. Rivington, and R. & J. Dodsley, London 1755; on-line
German translation: Attempt at a natural history of the Corall species and other similar mer bodies, which are commonly found on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland (!); In addition to the description of a large tuft polyp that was caught in the ice mere (!) . GN Raspe, Nuremberg 1767
  • Directions for bringing over seeds and plants, from the East Indies and other distant countries, in a state of vegetation: together with a catalog of such foreign plants as are worthy of being encouraged in our American colonies, for the purposes of medicine, agriculture, and commerce. To which is added, the figure and botanical description of a new sensitive plant, called Dionaea muscipula: or, Venus's fly-trap . L. Davis, London 1770
  • An historical account of coffee: with an engraving, and botanical description of the tree: to which are added sundry papers relative to its culture and use, as an article of diet and of commerce . Edward and Charles Dilly, London 1774
  • The natural history of many curious and uncommon zoophytes, collected from various parts of the globe . B. White & son, London 1786 - posthumously with Daniel Solander 1786; on-line

Magazine articles

  • Observations on a Remarkable Coral-Line, in a Letter from Mr. John Ellis to the Rev. Thomas Birch, DD Secret. RS In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 48, 1753/1754, pp. 115-117. on-line
  • A Letter from Mr. John Ellis to Mr. Peter Collinson, FRS concerning a Cluster-Polype, Found in the Sea Near the Coast of Greenland . In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 48, 1753/1754, pp. 305-307. on-line
  • A Letter to Mr. Peter Collinson, FRS concerning a Particular Species of Coralline. By Mr. John Ellis, FRS In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 48, 1753/1754, pp. 504-507
  • A Letter from Mr. John Ellis, FRS to Mr. Peter Collinson, FRS concerning the Animal Life of Those Coral-Lines, That Look Like Minute Trees, and Grow upon Oysters and Fucus's All Round the Sea-Coast of This Kingdom . In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 48, 1753/1754, pp. 627-633
  • A Letter from Mr. John Ellis, FRS to Philip Carteret Webb, Esq; FRS Attempting to Ascertain the Tree That Yields the Common Varnish Used in China and Japan; to Promote Its Propagation in Our American Colonies; And to Set Right Some Mistakes Botanists Appear to Have Entertained concerning It . In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 49, 1755/1756, pp. 806-875. on-line
  • An Account of a Curious, Fleshy, Coral-Like Substance; In a Letter to Mr. Peter Collinson, FRS from Dr. John Albert Schlosser, MDFRS with Some Observations on It Communicated to Mr. Collinson by Mr. John Ellis, FRS In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 49, 1755/1756, pp. 449-452. on-line
  • An Account of a Red Coral from the East-Indies, of a Very Singular Kind: In a Letter from Mr. John Ellis, FRS to Mr. Peter Collinson, FRS In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 50, 1757/1758, pp. 188-194. on-line
  • Remarks upon the Letter of Mr. John Ellis, FRS to Philip Carteret Webb, Esq; FRS Printed in the Philosophical Transactions, Vol. Xlix. Part ii. p. 806. By Mr. Philip Miller, FRS In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 50, 1757/1758, pp. 430-440. - with Philip Miller ; on-line
  • An Answer to the Preceding Remarks. By Mr. John Ellis, FRS In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 50, 1757/1758, pp. 441-456. on-line
  • An Account of Some Experiments Relating to the Preservation of Seeds: In Two Letters to the Right Honorable the Earl of Macclesfield, President of the Royal Society. From John Ellis, Esq; FRS In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 51, 1759/1760, pp. 206-215 online
  • The Method of Making Sal Ammoniac in Egypt; As Communicated by Dr. Linnaeus, from His Pupil Dr. Hasselquist, Who Had Been Lately in Those Parts: By John Ellis, Esq; FRS In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 51, 1759/1760, pp. 504-506. - with Carl von Linné
  • An Account of the Plants Halesia and Gardenia: In a Letter from John Ellis, Esq; FRS to Philip Carteret Webb, Esq; FRS In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 51, 1759/1760, pp. 929-935
  • An Account of the Male and Female Cochineal Insects, That Breed on the Cactus Opuntia, or Indian Fig, in South Carolina and Georgia: In a Letter from John Ellis, Esq; to Peter Wych, Esq. In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 52, 1761/1762, pp. 661-667
  • An Account of an Encrinus, or Starfish, with a Jointed Stem, Taken on the Coast of Barbadoes, Which Explains to What Kind of Animal Those Fossils Belong, Called Starstones, Asteriae, and Astropodia, Which Have Been Found in Many Parts of This Kingdom : In a letter to Mr. Emanuel Mendes da Costa, FRS By John Ellis, Esq; FRS In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 52, 1761/1762, pp. 357-365. on-line
  • An Account of the Sea Pen, or Pennatula Phosphorea of ​​Linnaeus; Likewise a Description of a New Species of Sea Pen, Found on the Coast of South-Carolina, with Observations on Sea-Pens in General. In a Letter to the Honorable Coote Molesworth, Esq; MD and FRS from John Ellis, Esq; FRS and Member of the Royal Academy at Upsal . In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 53, 1763, pp. 419-435. on-line
  • On the Nature and Formation of Sponges: In a Letter from John Ellis, Esquire, FRS to Dr. Solander, FRS In: Philosophical Transactions . Vol. 55, 1765, pp. 280-287. on-line
  • An Account of an Amphibious Bipes; By John Ellis, Esq; FRS To the Royal Society . In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 56, 1766, pp. 189-192. on-line
  • Extract of a Letter from John Ellis, Esquire, FRS to Dr. Linnaeus, of Upsal, FRS on the Animal Nature of the Genus of Zoophytes, Called Corallina . In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 57, 1767, pp. 404-428 - with Peter Woulfe ; on-line
  • An Account of the Actinia Sociata, or Clustered Animal-Flower, Lately Found on the Sea-Coasts of the New-Ceded Islands: In a Letter from John Ellis, Esquire, FRS to the Right Honorable the Earl of Hillsborough, FRS In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 57, 1767, pp. 428-437 and 434-435 online
  • A Letter from John Ellis, Esquire, FRS to the President, on the Success of His Experiments for Preserving Acorns for a Whole Year without Planting Them, so as to be in a State Fit for Vegetation, with a View to Bring Over Some of the Most Valuable Seeds from the East Indies, to Plant for the Benefit of Our American Colonies . In: Philosophical Transactions . Volume 58, 1769, pp. 75-79. - with William Aiton ; on-line
  • Observations on a Particular Manner of Increase in the Animalcula of Vegetable Infusions, with the Discovery of an Indissoluble Salt Arising from Hemp-Seed Put into Water Till It Becomes Putrid. By John Ellis, Esq; FRS In: Philosophical Transactions . Vol. 59, 1769, pp. 138-152. on-line
  • A copy of a letter from John Ellis, Esq; FRS to Dr. Linnaeus, FRS & c. With the Figure and Characters of That Elegant American Evergreentree, Called by the Gardiners the Loblolly-Bay, Taken from Blossoms Blown Near London, and Shewing That It is not an Hibiscus, as Mr. Miller Calls It; Nor an Hypericum, as Dr. Linnaeus Supposes It; But an Intire New Genus, to Which Mr. Ellis Gives the Name of Gordonia . In: Philosophical Transactions . Vol. 60, 1770, pp. 518-523 online
  • The copy of a letter from John Ellis, Esq; FRS to Mr. William Aiton, Botanic Gardener to Her Royal Highness the Princess Dowager of Wales, at Kew, on a New Species of Illicium Linnaei, or Starry Aniseed Tree, Lately Discovered in West Florida . In: Philosophical Transactions . Vol. 60, 1770, pp. 524-531 online
  • On the Nature of the Gorgonia; That It is a Real Marine Animal, and Not of a Mixed Nature, between Animal and Vegetable. By John Ellis, Esq. FRS in a Letter to Daniel Solander, MDFRS In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London . Volume 66, 1776, pp. 1-17 online

literature

  • Julius Groner, Paul Frederick Sinel Cornelius: John Ellis: Merchant, Microscopist, Naturalist, and King's Agent: A Biologist of His Times . Boxwood Press 1996

proof

literature

  • Robert Brown: Observations on the random movements of the eychen of different zoophytes: ... In: Robert Brown's mixed botanical writings . 1830 online
  • Alexander Chalmers: The General Biographical Dictionary: Containing an Historical and Critical Account of the Lives and Writings of the most Eminent Persons in Every Nation; Particularly the British and Irish; from the Earliest Accounts to the Present Time . Nichols, London 1812-1817 - 32 volumes
  • James Edward Smith : Biographical Memoir of John Ellis, ESQ., FRS and his Correspondence with Linnaeus . In: James Edward Smith (ed.): A Selection of the Correspondence of Linnaeus and other naturalists . 2 volumes, London 1821 online
  • Roy A. Rauschenberg: John Ellis, FRS: Eighteenth Century Naturalist and Royal Agent to West Florida . In: Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London . Volume 32, No. 2, March 1978, pp. 149-164
  • Robert Watt: Bibliotheca Britannica: or A General Index to British and Foreign Literature . Constable, Edinburgh 1824 - 4 volumes

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Letter 20 January 1772, Uppsala to John Ellis, London
  2. ↑ Lotte Burkhardt: Directory of eponymous plant names . Extended Edition. Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin, Free University Berlin Berlin 2018. [1]

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Ellis, John
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Irish botanist and zoologist
DATE OF BIRTH 1710 or 1714
DATE OF DEATH October 15, 1776
Place of death London