Edward Meyrick (25 November 1854, in Ramsbury – 31 March 1938, at Thornhanger, Marlborough) was an English schoolmaster and amateur

entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as ara ...

. He was an expert on microlepidoptera and some consider him one of the founders of modern microlepidoptera

systematics Biological systematics is the study of the diversification of living forms, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time. Relationships are visualized as evolutionary trees (synonyms: cladograms, phylogenetic t ...

Life and work

Edward Meyrick came from a Welsh clerical family and was born in Ramsbury on the Kennet to a namesake father. He was educated at

Marlborough College ( 1 Corinthians 3:6: God gives the increase) , established = , type = Public SchoolIndependent day and boarding , religion = Church of England , president = Nicholas Holtam , head_label = Master , head = Louis ...

and

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge or Oxford. ...

. He actively pursued his hobby during his schooling, and one colleague stated in 1872 that Meyrick "has not left a lamp, a paling, or a tree unexamined in which a moth could possibly, at any stage of its existence, lie hid." Meyrick began publishing notes on microlepidopterans in 1875, but when in December, 1877 he gained a post at The King's School, Parramatta,

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, there were greater opportunities for indulging his interest. He stayed in Australia for ten years (from 1877 until the end of 1886) working at Sydney Grammar School before returning to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

to teach

classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

and become a corresponding member of the

Linnean Society of New South Wales The Linnean Society of New South Wales promotes ''the Cultivation and Study of the Science of Natural History in all its Branches'' and was founded in Sydney, New South Wales (Australia) in 1874 and incorporated in 1884. History The Society succe ...

. He was the author of the ''Handbook of British Lepidoptera'' (1895) and of ''Exotic Microlepidoptera'' (March 1912 – November 1937), the latter consisting of four complete volumes and part of a fifth. He also wrote a number of short papers. Meyrick was a life-long member of the Conservative party, and spent twelve years as president of the East Wilts Unionist Association. Meyrick was a fellow of the Royal Entomological Society of London and a

fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemati ...

. During his lifetime, he may have described more than 20,000 species of Lepidoptera. His huge collection of specimens (over 100,000) is at the

Natural History Museum A natural history museum or museum of natural history is a scientific institution with natural history collections that include current and historical records of animals, plants, fungi, ecosystems, geology, paleontology, climatology, and more. ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. It is believed that he had collected more specimens than anyone else. He encouraged scientific studies by amateurs and in a 1898 article, "Scientific Work in Local Societies ” he pointed out lines of research for members of Natural History Societies. His studies of Australian and New Zealand lepidoptera led him to suggest that the two were not formerly connected. He made use of ideas along the lines of Dollo's laws to postulate principles to use to examine the evolution of the lepidoptera. In his ''Handbook of British Lepidoptera'' (1895) he stated that (1) No new organ can be produced except as a modification of some previously existing structure; (2) A lost organ cannot be regained; and (3) A rudimentary organ is rarely re-developed. Edward Mayrick died after a brief illness and is buried in the churchyard at Ramsbury, Wiltshire.

References

External links

Biography National Library New ZealandBiographical Database of South African Science
portrait

*
''A Handbook of British Lepidoptera''
via Internet Archive
''Exotic Microlepidoptera''
volumes 1 and 2 via Biodiversity Heritage Library * {{DEFAULTSORT:Meyrick 1854 births 1938 deaths 19th-century British zoologists 20th-century British zoologists Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge English lepidopterists English taxonomists Fellows of the Royal Entomological Society Fellows of the Royal Society Fellows of the Zoological Society of London People educated at Marlborough College 01 Place of birth missing Place of death missing