Frank Finn
Encyclopedia
Frank Finn FZS
, MBOU
(1868 - 1 October 1932) was an English
ornithologist.
Finn was born in Maidstone
and educated at Maidstone Grammar School
and Brasenose College, Oxford
. He went on a collecting expedition to East Africa
in 1892, and became First Assistant Superintendent of the Indian Museum
, Calcutta in 1894, and Deputy Superintendent from 1895 to 1903. He then returned to England, and was editor of the Avicultural Magazine in 1909-10.
Finn was a prolific author, his works including Garden and Aviary Birds of India, How to Know the Indian Ducks (1901), Birds of Calcutta (1901), How to Know the Indian Waders (1906), Ornithological and other Oddities (1907), The Making of Species (1909, with Douglas Dewar
), Eggs and Nests of British Birds (1910) and Indian Sporting Birds (1915).
The weaver bird Ploceus megarhynchus was originally described from a specimen collected by A. O. Hume
from Kaladhungi near Nainital in 1869. It was rediscovered near Calcutta by Finn and E. W. Oates
called it Finn's Weaver around 1889-90.
Zoological Society of London
The Zoological Society of London is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats...
, MBOU
British Ornithologists' Union
The British Ornithologists' Union aims to encourage the study of birds in Britain, Europe and elsewhere, in order to understand their biology and to aid their conservation....
(1868 - 1 October 1932) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
ornithologist.
Finn was born in Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
and educated at Maidstone Grammar School
Maidstone Grammar School
Maidstone Grammar School is a grammar school located in Maidstone, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1549.-Admissions:The school takes boys at the age of 11 and over by examination and boys and girls at 16+ on their GCSE results. The school currently has almost 1200 students and approximately 120...
and Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
. He went on a collecting expedition to East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
in 1892, and became First Assistant Superintendent of the Indian Museum
Indian Museum
The Indian Museum is the largest museum in India and has rare collections of antiques, armour and ornaments, fossils, skeletons, mummies, and Mughal paintings...
, Calcutta in 1894, and Deputy Superintendent from 1895 to 1903. He then returned to England, and was editor of the Avicultural Magazine in 1909-10.
Finn was a prolific author, his works including Garden and Aviary Birds of India, How to Know the Indian Ducks (1901), Birds of Calcutta (1901), How to Know the Indian Waders (1906), Ornithological and other Oddities (1907), The Making of Species (1909, with Douglas Dewar
Douglas Dewar
Douglas Dewar was a barrister, British civil servant in India and an ornithologist. He wrote widely in newspapers such as The Madras Mail, Pioneer, Times of India and periodicals such as the Civil and Military Gazette and Bird Notes.-Biography:He particularly advanced field studies of birds and he...
), Eggs and Nests of British Birds (1910) and Indian Sporting Birds (1915).
The weaver bird Ploceus megarhynchus was originally described from a specimen collected by A. O. Hume
Allan Octavian Hume
Allan Octavian Hume was a civil servant, political reformer and amateur ornithologist in British India. He was one of the founders of the Indian National Congress, a political party that was later to lead the Indian independence movement...
from Kaladhungi near Nainital in 1869. It was rediscovered near Calcutta by Finn and E. W. Oates
Eugene William Oates
Eugene William Oates was an English naturalist.Oates was born in Sicily and educated in Bath, England. For a time he attended Sydney College, Bath and later under private tutors. He was a civil servant in the Public Works Department in India and Burma from 1867 to 1899...
called it Finn's Weaver around 1889-90.
External links
- How to know the Indian waders (1906)
- The Waterfowl of India (1909)
- The gamebirds of India (1911)
- Garden and Aviary birds of India (1915)
- The Birds of Calcutta (1904)
- Familiar London Birds
- Ornithological and other oddities (1907)
- The worlds birds (1908)
- Talk about birds (1911)
- Bird behaviour: Psychical and Physiological (1919)
- Indian Sporting Birds (1935)