Life and work William Elford Leach

libinia emarginata described leach in zoological miscellany in 1815.

elford leach born @ hoe gate, plymouth, son of attorney. @ age of twelve began medical apprenticeship @ devonshire , exeter hospital, studying anatomy , chemistry. time collecting marine animals plymouth sound , along devon coast. @ seventeen began studying medicine @ st bartholomew s hospital in london, finishing training @ university of edinburgh before graduating md university of st andrews (where had never studied).

from 1813 leach concentrated on zoological interests , employed assistant librarian (what later called assistant keeper) in natural history department of british museum, had responsibility zoological collections. here threw himself task of reorganising , modernising these collections, many of had been neglected since hans sloane left them nation. in 1815, published first bibliography of entomology in brewster s edinburgh encyclopedia (see timeline of entomology – 1800–1850). worked , published on other invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, mammals , birds. , naturalist separated centipedes , millipedes insects, giving them own group, myriapoda. in day world s leading expert on crustacea , in contact scientists in united states , throughout europe. in 1816 elected fellow of royal society @ age of 25.

however, in 1821 suffered nervous breakdown due overwork , became unable continue researches. resigned museum in march 1822 , elder sister jane took him continental europe convalesce. lived in italy , (briefly) malta , died cholera in san sebastiano curone, near tortona, north of genoa on 25 august 1836.

in 1837 dr francis boott, secretary of linnean society of london, wrote, few men have ever devoted zoology greater zeal dr leach, or attained @ period of life higher reputation @ home , abroad profound naturalist. 1 of laborious , successful, 1 of universal, cultivators of zoology country has ever produced.

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