Captain Frederick Wollaston Hutton (16 November 1836 – 27 October 1905) was an English-New Zealand scientist who applied the theory of

natural selection Natural selection is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotype. It is a key mechanism of evolution, the change in the heritable traits characteristic of a population over generations. Charl ...

to explain the origins and nature of the natural history of

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island country ...

. An army officer in early life, he then had an academic career in geology and biology. He became one of the most able and prolific nineteenth century naturalists of New Zealand.

Biography

Hutton was born in Gate Burton, Lincolnshire, England, the son of the Rev. Henry Frederick Hutton and his wife Louisa Wollaston, daughter of the Rev. Henry John Wollaston. He passed through Southwell

grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary sch ...

and the

Naval Academy A naval academy provides education for prospective naval officers. See also * Military academy A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally pro ...

Gosport Gosport ( ) is a town and non-metropolitan borough on the south coast of Hampshire, South East England. At the 2011 Census, its population was 82,662. Gosport is situated on a peninsula on the western side of Portsmouth Harbour, opposite th ...

, Hampshire. He studied

applied science Applied science is the use of the scientific method and knowledge obtained via conclusions from the method to attain practical goals. It includes a broad range of disciplines such as engineering and medicine. Applied science is often contrasted ...

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public university, public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of George IV of the United Kingdom, King G ...

before being commissioned in the

Royal Welch Fusiliers The Royal Welch Fusiliers ( cy, Ffiwsilwyr Brenhinol Cymreig) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, and part of the Prince of Wales' Division, that was founded in 1689; shortly after the Glorious Revolution. In 1702, it was designate ...

and fighting in the

Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the ...

and the

Indian Mutiny The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the for ...

. Hutton returned to England in 1860, and continued to study geology at Sandhurst, being elected to the

Geological Society of London The Geological Society of London, known commonly as the Geological Society, is a learned society based in the United Kingdom. It is the oldest national geological society in the world and the largest in Europe with more than 12,000 Fellows. Fe ...

in the same year. Hutton married in 1863, and resigned his commission in 1866 to travel with his wife and two children to New Zealand, where four more children would follow. They lived initially in

Waikato Waikato () is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, ...

, where Hutton tried his hand at

flax Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known in ...

milling, but he soon changed back to geology, joining the Geological Survey of New Zealand in 1866 and becoming Provincial Geologist of

Otago Otago (, ; mi, Ōtākou ) is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local government reg ...

in 1874. At the same time, he was made lecturer in geology at the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate u ...

and curator of the museum there. Hutton became professor of biology at

Canterbury College Canterbury College may refer to: * Canterbury College (Indiana), U.S. * Canterbury College (Waterford), Queensland, Australia * Canterbury College (Windsor, Ontario), Canada * Canterbury College, Kent, England * Canterbury College, Oxford, Englan ...

in 1880, and was elected 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 ...

in 1892. The following year, he also took on the curatorship of the Canterbury Museum. Towards the end of his life, Hutton was made president of the

Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union The Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union (RAOU), now part of BirdLife Australia, was Australia's largest non-government, non-profit, bird conservation organisation. It was founded in 1901 to promote the study and conservation of the native ...

. He was awarded the

Clarke Medal The Clarke Medal is awarded by the Royal Society of New South Wales, the oldest learned society in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere, for distinguished work in the Natural sciences. The medal is named in honour of the Reverend William Branw ...

by the

Royal Society of New South Wales The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. The Governor of New South Wales is the vice-regal patron of the Society. The Society was established as the Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June 1 ...

in 1891. He was the first President of the New Zealand Institute (which later became the

Royal Society of New Zealand Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a cit ...

), from 1904 to his death in 1905; he was followed by Sir James Hector. He was one of the inaugural vice-chairmen of the New Zealand Alpine Club, which was founded in July 1891. He worked successively at the Colonial Museum, Wellington (1871–1873) (now called

Te Papa The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is New Zealand's national museum and is located in Wellington. ''Te Papa Tongarewa'' translates literally to "container of treasures" or in full "container of treasured things and people that spring f ...

Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand);

Otago Museum Tūhura Otago Museum is located in the city centre of Dunedin, New Zealand. It is adjacent to the University of Otago campus in Dunedin North, 1,500 metres northeast of the city centre. It is one of the city's leading attractions and has one of ...

, Dunedin (1874–1879); and the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch (1887–1905). Hutton died on the return voyage on the SS ''Rimutaka'' from England on 27 October 1905, and was

buried at sea Burial at sea is the disposal of human remains in the ocean, normally from a ship or boat. It is regularly performed by navies, and is done by private citizens in many countries. Burial-at-sea services are conducted at many different location ...

off Cape Town, South Africa. He is commemorated in the Hutton Memorial Medal and Research Fund, awarded for scientific works bearing on the

zoology Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and dis ...

botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...

or geology of New Zealand. Hutton's shearwater (''Puffinus huttoni''), a sea bird, was named after him and the cave wētā '' Neonetus huttoni.''

Evolution

In 1860, he wrote a supportive review of

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended fr ...

's ''

On the Origin of Species ''On the Origin of Species'' (or, more completely, ''On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life''),The book's full original title was ''On the Origin of Species by Me ...

'' for the journal, '' The Geologist''.Stenhouse, John. (1990). ''Darwin's Captain: F. W. Hutton and the Nineteenth-Century Darwinian Debates''. ''

Journal of the History of Biology The ''Journal of the History of Biology'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal covering the history of biology as well as philosophical and social issues confronting biology. It is published by Springer Science+Business Media and the edito ...

'' 23 (3): 411–442. In 1861, he wrote an article defending Darwinism in the same journal. Hutton defended Darwin from the objections of creationist

Adam Sedgwick Adam Sedgwick (; 22 March 1785 – 27 January 1873) was a British geologist and Anglican priest, one of the founders of modern geology. He proposed the Cambrian and Devonian period of the geological timescale. Based on work which he did on W ...

, which he described as "gross ironical misrepresentations". He wrote that

creationism Creationism is the religious belief that nature, and aspects such as the universe, Earth, life, and humans, originated with supernatural acts of divine creation. Gunn 2004, p. 9, "The ''Concise Oxford Dictionary'' says that creationism is 'th ...

was a "mere assertion, an evasion of the question, a cloak for ignorance." Throughout his life, Hutton remained a staunch exponent of Darwin's theories of

, and Darwin himself expressed his appreciation in a letter to Hutton.

Taxa

Taxa described and named by Hutton include: *''Cabalus modestus'' (Hutton, 1872) – the Chatham rail *'' Callochiton empleurus'' (Hutton, 1872) – a

chiton Chitons () are marine molluscs of varying size in the class Polyplacophora (), formerly known as Amphineura. About 940 extant and 430 fossil species are recognized. They are also sometimes known as gumboots or sea cradles or coat-of-mail sh ...

*'' Ericentrus rubrus'' (Hutton, 1872) – the orange clinid *'' Phosichthys argenteus'' Hutton, 1872 – a lightfish *'' Stegnaster inflatus'' (Hutton, 1872) – a

sea star Starfish or sea stars are star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to as brittle stars or basket stars. Starfish ...

*'' Bittium exile'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine

snail A snail is, in loose terms, a shelled gastropod. The name is most often applied to land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name ''snail'' is also used for most of the members of the molluscan class Gastrop ...

*''Colistium guntheri'' (Hutton, 1873) – the New Zealand brill *'' Comitas trailli'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine snail *'' Dentalium nanum'' Hutton, 1873 *'' Herpetopoma bella'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine snail *'' Margarella antipoda rosea'' (Hutton, 1873) – a subspecies of marine snail *'' Margarella fulminata'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine snail *'' Novastoa lamellosa'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine snail *'' Pterotyphis eos'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine snail *'' Pterotyphis zealandicus'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine snail *'' Pupa kirki'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine snail *''Rhombosolea retiaria'' Hutton, 1873 – the black flounder *''Scorpis violacea'' (Hutton, 1873) – the blue maomao *'' Thoristella chathamensis'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine snail *'' Trichosirius inornatus'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine snail *'' Uberella vitrea'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine snail *'' Xymene plebeius'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine snail *'' Xymene traversi'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine snail *'' Zeacolpus symmetricus'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine snail *'' Zeacolpus vittatus'' (Hutton, 1873) – a marine snail *''

Jasus edwardsii ''Jasus edwardsii'', the southern rock lobster, red rock lobster, or spiny rock lobster, is a species of spiny lobster found throughout coastal waters of southern Australia and New Zealand including the Chatham Islands. It is commonly called '' ...

'' (Hutton, 1875) – a

spiny lobster Spiny lobsters, also known as langustas, langouste, or rock lobsters, are a family (Palinuridae) of about 60 species of achelate crustaceans, in the Decapoda Reptantia. Spiny lobsters are also, especially in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Sou ...

*''Paratrachichthys trailli'' (Hutton, 1875) – the sandpaper fish or common roughy *''Bidenichthys consobrinus'' (Hutton, 1876) – the grey brotula or orange cuskeel *'' Anomia trigonopsis'' Hutton, 1877 – a marine

bivalve Bivalvia (), in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class of marine and freshwater molluscs that have laterally compressed bodies enclosed by a shell consisting of two hinged parts. As a group, biva ...

*''Notolabrus cinctus'' (Hutton, 1877) – the

girdled wrasse The girdled wrasse, ''Notolabrus cinctus'', is a species of wrasse native to the waters around the South Island and southeastern North Island of New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands and Snares Islands, where it can be found at depths from . ...

*''Eudyptes filholi'' Hutton, 1879 – the

eastern rockhopper penguin The eastern rockhopper penguin (''Eudyptes chrysocome filholi'') is a crested penguin with yellow crest feathers. It is a subspecies of the southern rockhopper penguin (''Eudyptes chrysocome'') found in subantarctic regions and the Indian Ocean. ...

*'' Leuconopsis obsoleta'' (Hutton, 1878) – a land snail *'' Proxiuber australe'' (Hutton, 1878) – a marine snail *'' Proxiuber hulmei'' (Hutton, 1878) – a marine snail *'' Thoristella oppressa'' (Hutton, 1878) – a land snail *''Gallirallus philippensis macquariensis'' (Hutton, 1879) – the Macquarie Island rail *'' Pseudaneitea papillata'' (Hutton, 1879) – a

slug Slug, or land slug, is a common name for any apparently shell-less terrestrial gastropod mollusc. The word ''slug'' is also often used as part of the common name of any gastropod mollusc that has no shell, a very reduced shell, or only a smal ...

*'' Patelloida corticata'' (Hutton, 1880) – a

limpet Limpets are a group of aquatic snails that exhibit a conical gastropod shell, shell shape (patelliform) and a strong, muscular foot. Limpets are members of the class Gastropoda, but are polyphyletic, meaning the various groups called "limpets" ...

* Latiidae Hutton, 1882 – a family of freshwater molluscs *'' Cytora calva'' (Hutton, 1883) – a land snail *'' Cytora pallida'' (Hutton, 1883) – a land snail *'' Cytora pannosa'' (Hutton, 1883) – a land snail *'' Homalopoma fluctuata'' (Hutton, 1883) – a marine snail *'' Lamellaria cerebroides'' Hutton, 1883 – a marine snail *'' Rhytida australis'' Hutton, 1883 – a land snail *'' Rhytida citrina'' Hutton, 1883 – a land snail *'' Rhytida patula'' Hutton, 1883 – a land snail *'' Fossarina rimata'' (Hutton, 1884) – a marine snail *'' Micrelenchus caelatus'' (Hutton, 1884) – a marine snail *'' Otoconcha'' Hutton, 1884 – a land snail genus *'' Leuconopsis'' Hutton, 1884 – a land snail genus *'' Microvoluta marginata'' (Hutton, 1885) – a marine snail *'' Powelliphanta lignaria'' (Hutton, 1888) – a land snail *'' Argosarchus'' Hutton, 1898 – a

stick insect The Phasmatodea (also known as Phasmida, Phasmatoptera or Spectra) are an order of insects whose members are variously known as stick insects, stick-bugs, walking sticks, stick animals, or bug sticks. They are also occasionally referred to as ...

genus *'' Hemideina ricta'' (Hutton, 1896) – a tree weta *'' Isoplectron armatus'' (Hutton, 1896) – a cave wētā *'' Paprides armillaus'' (Hutton, 1897) – an alpine grasshopper *'' Paprides australis'' (Hutton, 1897) – an alpine grasshopper *'' Paprides torquatus'' (Hutton, 1897) – an alpine grasshopper *'' Exsul singularis'' Hutton, 1901 – an alpine fly

Hutton's publications

* 1871: '' Catalogue of the Birds of New Zealand, with Diagnoses of the Species'' *1872: '' Fishes of New Zealand, Catalogue with Diagnoses of the Species'' (by Hutton) and also includes ''Notes on the Edible Fishes of New Zealand'' (by

James Hector Sir James Hector (16 March 1834 – 6 November 1907) was a Scottish-New Zealand geologist, naturalist, and surgeon who accompanied the Palliser Expedition as a surgeon and geologist. He went on to have a lengthy career as a government employe ...

) *1873: '' Catalogue of the Marine Mollusca of New Zealand, with Diagnoses of the Species'' *1873: ''Catalogue of the Tertiary Mollusca and Echinodermata of New Zealand in the Collection of the Colonial Museum'' *1875: '' Report on the geology & gold fields of Otago'' by Hutton and

George Henry Frederick Ulrich George Henry Frederick Ulrich FGS (born as Georg Heinrich Friedrich Ulrich) (7 July 1830 – 26 May 1900) was a notable New Zealand mineralogist, university professor and director of the school of mines. Early life He was born in Zellerfeld ...

, with appendices by J.G. Black and James McKerrow *1880: '' Manual of the New Zealand Mollususca''. A systematic and descriptive catalogue of the marine and land shells, and of the soft mollusks and Polyzoa of New Zealand and the adjacent islands. * 1881:
Catalogues of the New Zealand Diptera, Orthoptera, Hymenoptera; with descriptions of the species
' * 1887: ''Darwinism'' * 1896:

' * 1899
''Darwinism and Lamarckism: Old and New''
* 1902:
The Lesson of Evolution
' 1st Edition * 1902: ''Nature in New Zealand'' (a popular work co-written with James Drummond) * 1904:
Index Faunae Nova-Zealandiae
' (a complete list of all animals recorded in New Zealand) * 1904: ''The Animals of New Zealand,'' 1st Edition (a popular work co-written with James Drummond) * 1905: ''Revision of the Tertiary Brachiopoda of New Zealand.'' John Mackay, Government Printer. * 1905: ''The Animals of New Zealand: An Account of the Colony's Air-breathing Vertebrates''. 2nd Edition. Hutton, Frederick Wollaston, and James Drummond, Whitcombe and Tombs. * 1905: ''The formation of the Canterbury Plains.'' John Mackay, Government Printer. * 1905: ''Ancient Antarctica''. Nature 72 (1905): 244–245. * 1907: '' The Lesson of Evolution''. 2nd Edition, Printed for private circulation. *1909: '' The Animals of New Zealand'' 3rd Edition (a popular work co-written with James Drummond)

Family

Hutton married in 1863 Annie Gouger Montgomerie, daughter of

William Montgomerie William Montgomerie (1797–1856) was a Scottish military doctor with the East India Company, and later head of the medical department at Singapore. He is best known for promoting the use of gutta-percha in Europe. This material was an import ...

and his wife Elizabeth Graham. Their children included Gilbert Montgomerie Hutton (1865–1911) of the Royal Engineers.

References

External links

Barry C. Russell, ''Type specimens of New Zealand fishes described by Captain F.W. Hutton, F.R.S. (1836–1905)''; Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 26, Issue 2, 1996

Bruce A. Marshall, ''Molluscan and brachiopod taxa introduced by F. W. Hutton in The New Zealand journal of science''; Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 25, Issue 4, 1995
*
Various digitised writings of F. W. Hutton
held by the

Biodiversity Heritage Library The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) is the world’s largest open access digital library for biodiversity literature and archives. BHL operates as worldwide consortiumof natural history, botanical, research, and national libraries working toge ...

Frederick Wollaston Hutton
in the 1966 Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Frederick Wollaston Hutton
in the ''

Dictionary of New Zealand Biography The ''Dictionary of New Zealand Biography'' (DNZB) is an encyclopedia or biographical dictionary containing biographies of over 3,000 deceased New Zealanders. It was first published as a series of print volumes from 1990 to 2000, went online ...

'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Hutton, Frederick 1836 births 1905 deaths Alumni of King's College London British Army personnel of the Crimean War British military personnel of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 British carcinologists Critics of creationism English biologists English geologists New Zealand Fellows of the Royal Society New Zealand biologists New Zealand zoologists New Zealand ornithologists People educated at Southwell Minster Collegiate Grammar School People from West Lindsey District People who died at sea Royal Welch Fusiliers officers Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst University of Canterbury faculty University of Otago faculty Burials at sea Directors of Canterbury Museum, Christchurch Presidents of the Royal Society of New Zealand 20th-century New Zealand scientists 19th-century New Zealand scientists People associated with Otago Museum