Bombay Natural History Society
The Bombay Natural History Society, founded in 1883, is one of the largest non-governmental organizations in India engaged in conservation and biodiversity research.[1] Many prominent naturalists, including the ornithologists Salim Ali and S. Dillon Ripley have been associated with it.[2] The society is commonly known by its initials, BNHS.
On September 15, 1883 eight residents of Bombay met in the then Victoria and Albert Museum and
| “ | constituted themselves as the Bombay Natural History Society. They proposed to meet monthly and exchange notes, exhibit interesting specimens and otherwise encourage each other. | ” |
According to E. H. Aitken (the first Honorary Secretary, September 1883-March 1886), Dr G. A. Maconochie was the fons et origo of the Society and besides these two gentlemen, the other founders were Dr D. MacDonald, Col. C. Swinhoe, Mr J. C. Anderson, Mr J. Johnston, Dr Atmaram Pandurang and Dr Sakharam Arjun.[3] Mr H. M. Phipson (second Honorary Secretary, 1886-1906) was also a part of the founding group and he lent a part of his wine shop at 18 Forbes Street available as an office for the BNHS.
In 1911 R. C. Wroughton a BNHS member and forest officer organized a survey of mammals making use of the members spread through the Subcontinent to provide specimens. This was perhaps the first collaborative natural history study in the world and it resulted in the collection of 50,000 specimens in 12 years resulting in the identification of several new species, 47 publications and an understanding of biogeographic boundaries.[4]
In the early years, the Journal of the BNHS, reviewed contemporary literature from other parts of the world. The description of ant-bird interactions in German by Erwin Stresemann was reviewed in a 1935 issue leading to the introduction of the term anting into English.
Today the BNHS is headquartered in the specially constructed Hornbill House is Southern Mumbai. It sponsors studies in Indian wildlife and conservation, and publishes a four-monthly journal, The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, as well as a quarterly magazine, Hornbill.
The BNHS logo is the Great Hornbill named William, who lived on the premises of the Society during the tenure of W. S. Millard as honorary secretary of the Society (1906-1920). In his obituary of W. S. Millard, Sir Norman Kinnear made the following remarks about William:[5]
| “ | Every visitor to the Society's room in Appollo Street will remember the great Indian Hornbill, better known as the "office canary" which lived in a cage behind Millard's chair in Phipson & Co.'s office for 26 years and died in 1920. It is said its death was caused by swallowing a piece of wire, but in the past "William" had swallowed a lighted cigar without ill effects and I for my part think that the loss of his old friend was the principal cause. | ” |
References
- ^ Organizations: India. US Library of Congress, Portals to the World. Retrieved 3 December 2006.
- ^ BNHS:Mission and Vision, Bombay Natural History Society. Retrieved 3 December 2006.
- ^ Rachel Reuben (2005) The Indian Founders. Hornbill (Apr-Jun):pp.13-15
- ^ Newton, Paul & Matt Ridley. Biology under the Raj. New Scientist. (22 September 1983) pp. 857-867
- ^ Kinnear, N.B. 1952. "W. S. Millard" Journal of Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 50:910-913.
See also
External links
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