Walter Oliver
Encyclopedia
Walter Reginald Brook Oliver (1883–1957) was an Australia
n-born New Zealand
naturalist
, ornithologist, malacologist and museum curator
.
Born in Launceston, Tasmania
, Oliver emigrated with his family to Tauranga
in 1896. Having already developed an interest in nature during his childhood, he systematically recorded natural observations throughout much of his life, joining other naturalists on an expedition to the Kermadec Islands
as early as 1908.
In 1910 he became a member of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union
(RAOU) for which body he served as Branch Secretary for New Zealand from 1914 to his death in 1957, an extraordinary period of office of 43 years. During this period he also served as RAOU Vice-President 1942-1943, and as President 1943-1944.
Oliver was appointed Director of the Dominion Museum
in 1928 1, and in 1930, he published the seminal guide New Zealand Birds, which was updated and expanded in 1955. He retired from the position of Director in 1947. Oliver was active in numerous scientific societies, and was a prolific contributor to New Zealand scientific literature over a long career.
Oliver described several species new to science, including:
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n-born New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, ornithologist, malacologist and museum curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
.
Born in Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
, Oliver emigrated with his family to Tauranga
Tauranga
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
in 1896. Having already developed an interest in nature during his childhood, he systematically recorded natural observations throughout much of his life, joining other naturalists on an expedition to the Kermadec Islands
Kermadec Islands
The Kermadec Islands are a subtropical island arc in the South Pacific Ocean northeast of New Zealand's North Island, and a similar distance southwest of Tonga...
as early as 1908.
In 1910 he became a member of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union
Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union
The Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, also known as Birds Australia, was founded in 1901 to promote the study and conservation of the native bird species of Australia and adjacent regions. This makes it Australia's oldest national birding association. It is also Australia's largest...
(RAOU) for which body he served as Branch Secretary for New Zealand from 1914 to his death in 1957, an extraordinary period of office of 43 years. During this period he also served as RAOU Vice-President 1942-1943, and as President 1943-1944.
Oliver was appointed Director of the Dominion Museum
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is the national museum and art gallery of New Zealand, located in Wellington. It is branded and commonly known as Te Papa and Our Place; "Te Papa Tongarewa" is broadly translatable as "the place of treasures of this land".The museum's principles...
in 1928 1, and in 1930, he published the seminal guide New Zealand Birds, which was updated and expanded in 1955. He retired from the position of Director in 1947. Oliver was active in numerous scientific societies, and was a prolific contributor to New Zealand scientific literature over a long career.
Oliver described several species new to science, including:
- The Snares PenguinSnares PenguinThe Snares Penguin , also known as the Snares Crested Penguin and the Snares Islands Penguin, is a penguin from New Zealand...
- Calliostoma waikanaeCalliostoma waikanaeCalliostoma waikanae is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Calliostomatidae, the calliostoma top snails.- Further reading :...
, a sea snail - Shepherd's beaked whaleShepherd's Beaked WhaleShepherd's beaked whale , also commonly called Tasman's beaked whale or simply the Tasman whale, is a cetacean of the family Ziphidae. The whale has been little studied. Only four confirmed at sea sightings have been made and 42 strandings recorded . It was first known to science in 1937, being...
Further reading
- Dawson E. W. (1958). "Walter Reginald Brook Oliver (1883-1957)". Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London 33(1): 1.
- Dell R. K. (1998). "Oliver, Walter Reginald Brook 1883-1957". Dictionary of New Zealand BiographyDictionary of New Zealand BiographyThe Dictionary of New Zealand Biography contains biographies for over 3,000 New Zealanders. It is available in both English and Maori. All volumes of the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography are available online....
4: 389-390. HTM.
External links
- WRB Oliver from Encyclopedia of New Zealand (1966)
- some (not all) articles by Walter Oliver in Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New ZealandTransactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New ZealandThe Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand was a scientific journal and magazine published by the Royal Society of New Zealand...