Biographical entry
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Bright Sparcs
Biographical entry
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Lyell, George (1866 - 1951) |
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| Naturalist and Entomologist | |
| Born: 25 July 1866 Ararat, Victoria, Australia. Died: 19 May 1951 Gisborne, Victoria, Australia. | |
| George Lyell was a junior clerk then branch head with the butter, cheese and bacon manufacturer J Bartram & Son. He left in 1890 to take up a partnership with E. Cherry & Sons – makers of butter-factory and dairy appliances. They were also Victoria’s only supplier of entomological equipment. However, Lyell’s interest in entomology began before then: in 1888 when he captured a Caper White butterfly in a suburban park. Over the next sixty years, Lyell built up an enormous collection of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera). In 1932 he donated it to the Museum of Victoria and continued to add to it until 1951 when the specimens numbered around 45,000. He also worked tirelessly at the Museum until 1946 to integrate his specimens with the Museum’s existing Lepidoptera collection. George Lyell wrote widely on his findings and his 1914 book Butterflies of Australia (with GA Waterhouse) became a classic reference book over the next twenty years. Lyell’s other interests included orchids, and his collection of pressed orchids is held at the National Herbarium in Melbourne. |
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Chronology
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Published by The University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre on ASAPWeb, 1994 - 2007 Originally published 1994-1999 by Australian Science Archives Project, 1999-2006 by the Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre Disclaimer, Copyright and Privacy Policy Submit any comments, questions, corrections and additions Prepared by: Acknowledgements Updated: 26 February 2007 http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/biogs/P001310b.htm |