Francis Walker

English entomologist

Francis Walker (31 July 1809 – 5 October 1874) was an English entomologist.He was born in Southgate, London, on 31 July 1809 and died at Wanstead, England on 5 October 1874.

He was one of the most prolific authors in entomology, and stirred controversy during his later life as his publications resulted in a huge number of junior synonyms.

However, his assiduous work on the collections of the British Museum had great significance.Between June 1848 and late 1873 Walker was contracted by John Edward Gray Director of the British Museum to catalogue their insects (except Coleoptera) that is Orthoptera, Neuroptera, Hemiptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera.

Walker largely accomplished this and (Edwards, 1870) wrote of the plan and by implication those who implemented it “It is to him [Gray] that the Public owe the admirable helps to the study of natural history which have been afforded by the series of inventories, guides, and nomenclatures, the publication of which began, at his instance, in the year 1844, and has been unceasingly pursued.

A mere list of the various printed synopses which have grown out of Dr.Gray’s suggestion of 1844 would fill many such pages as that which the reader has now before him.

The consequence is, that in no department of the Museum can the student, as yet, economise his time as he can economise it in the Natural-History Department.

Printed, not Manuscript, Catalogues mean time saved; disappointment avoided; study fructified.No literary labour brings so little of credit as does the work of the Catalogue-maker.

None better deserves the gratitude of scholars, as well as of the general mass of visitors".As a result of the catalogues an immense amount of material was added to the collections.

Collaborating with Alexander Henry Haliday, a lifelong friend, he was one of the first students of the Chalcidoidea.He was also a close friend of John Curtis.

Walker was a member of the Entomological Society.Walker's specimens are in the Natural History Museum, London;Hope Department of Entomology, University of Oxford; the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin;

Zoologische Staatssammlung München and the School of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt.

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