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{{for|the British Olympic gymnast|George Masters (gymnast)}}
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George Masters (1837-1912) was an [[zoologist]], active in Australia during the nineteenth century.
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox scientist
| honorific_prefix =
| name = George Masters
| honorific_suffix =
| image = George Masters, entomologist Barcroft Capel Boake.jpg
| caption = Studio portrait of entomologist George Masters, 1867–1877
| birth_date = 1837
| birth_place = [[Maidstone]], England
| death_date = 1912
| death_place =
| citizenship = United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
| nationality = English
| education =
| academic_advisors =
| notable_students =
| known_for = [[zoology]], [[entomology]].
| awards =
| field = [[Zoology]];
| work_institutions = [[Australian Museum]], [[Macleay Museum]]
}}
⚫
'''George Masters''' (1837–1912) was a [[zoologist]], active in Australia during the 19th century.


==Biography==
Born in [[Maidstone]] England to Matilda, née Terry, he was trained as a [[gardener]] by his father, George Masters, before moving to Sydney. Masters began working as a gardener then collecting insects in Queensland for [[William John Macleay]], with the backing of the zoologist [[Gerard Krefft]], later taking a position with the [[Australian Museum]] as assistant curator.<ref name="ADB" />
Born in [[Maidstone]], England, to Matilda, née Terry, he was trained as a [[gardener]] by his father, George Masters, before moving to Sydney. Masters began working as a gardener, then collecting insects in Queensland for [[William John Macleay]], with the backing of the zoologist [[Gerard Krefft]], later taking a position with the [[Australian Museum]] as an assistant curator.<ref name="ADB" />


==Works==
He made large collections of birds, snakes, and other animals, including some that were rare or difficult to obtain. His expeditions across the eastern states extended to South and Western Australia, [[Tasmania]] and [[Lord Howe Island]]. Noted collections include a series of a species of lungfish ''[[Neoceratodus forsteri]]'', and in [[Western Australia]] the ''[[Dasyornis longirostris]]'' (western bristlebird) and cryptic ''[[Atrichornis clamosus]]'' (noisy scrub bird). Master continued collecting for himself, Krefft, Macleay and others, despite an agreement with the museum to desist from doing so for personal gain.<ref name="ADB" />
George Masters was a zoölogical collector, primarily of birds, but also of snakes and other animals. Masters also made a significant contribution to [[entomology]], making large collections of insects available for research. He journeyed to remote regions to obtain specimens, including some that will difficult to obtain and are now listed as rare or endangered. His expeditions across the eastern states were extended to South and Western Australia, [[Tasmania]], and [[Lord Howe Island]]. Noted collections include a series of specimens of the Queensland lungfish ''[[Neoceratodus forsteri]]'', and in [[Western Australia]], ''[[Dasyornis longirostris]]'' (western bristlebird) and ''[[Atrichornis clamosus]]'' (noisy scrub bird).<ref name="ADB" />


Masters made two collections from Australia's south west for the museum in Sydney, noted as exceptional in a period when the study the birds of the region was lacking. He arrived by ship at [[King George Sound]] in 1866<!-- North says 1863 --> for his first expedition, collecting a single specimen of the cryptic noisy scrub bird and two of the western bristlebird in a total of 281 bird skins. His second expedition (1868–69) was longer and further, journeying from [[Albany, Western Australia|Albany]] as far as the head of the [[Pallinup River]], returning to Sydney with six more ''Atrichornis clamosus'' skins, 10 of ''Dasyornis longirostris'', and eight of ''[[Psophodes nigrogularis]]'' (western whipbird).<ref name="Serventy" /> These collections also supplemented those of nests and eggs of that state at the [[Australian Museum]], and allowed [[A. J. North]] to publish more complete records of its birds [[oology]] and [[nidification]] in 1889.<ref name="North1889">{{cite book |last1=North |first1=Alfred John |authorlink1=Alfred John North |title=Descriptive catalogue of the nests & eggs of birds found breeding in Australia and Tasmania. [Catalogue no. 12] |date=1889 |publisher=[[Australian Museum]] |location=Sydney |pages=v-vi |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38264421#page/9/mode/1up |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.56932 |language=en}}</ref>
Masters is said to have gained extensive knowledge of Australian fauna, but avoided recording this in writing. He served as curator at the [[Macleay Museum]] until 1912.<ref name="ADB" />


He continued collecting for himself, Krefft, Macleay, and others, despite an agreement with the museum to desist from doing so for personal gain.<ref name="ADB" />
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== References ==

Masters is said to have gained extensive knowledge of Australian fauna, but avoided recording this in writing.<ref name="ADB" /> However, Masters observations of ''Atrichornis clamosus'' were published and are important records of a rare and little-known bird. His collections are often cited in North's ''Nests and eggs of birds found breeding in Australia'' (publ. 1901–14).<ref name="Serventy" /> He served as curator at the [[Macleay Museum]] until 1912.<ref name="ADB" />

==Legacy==
Masters is commemorated in the scientific name of a species of an Australian venomous snake, ''[[Drysdalia mastersii]]''.<ref>Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-4214-0135-5}}. ("Masters", p. 171).</ref>

⚫
==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="ADB">{{cite web |last1=Whitley |first1=G. P. |title=Masters, George (1837–1912) |url=http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/masters-george-4166 |website=Australian Dictionary of Biography |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |accessdate=30 June 2018}}</ref>
<ref name="ADB">{{cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |last1=Whitley |first1=G. P. |title=Masters, George (1837–1912) |id2=masters-george-4166 |accessdate=30 June 2018}}</ref>
<ref name="Serventy">{{cite book |last1=Serventy |first1=D. L. |last2=Whittell |first2=H. M. |authorlink1=Dominic Serventy |title=[[Birds of Western Australia (book)|A handbook of the birds of Western Australia (with the exception of the Kimberley division)]] |date=1951 |publisher=Paterson Brokensha |location=Perth |pages=35–6 |edition=2 |chapter=Sect. 1 Part 3 (c)}}</ref>
}}
}}


{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:Australian zoologists‎]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Masters, George}}
[[Category:1837 births]]
[[Category:1912 deaths]]
[[Category:Colony of New South Wales people]]
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[[Category:19th-century Australian zoologists]]
[[Category:Zoological collectors]]
[[Category:Zoological collectors]]
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[[Category:19th-century zoologists‎]]
[[Category:Australian ornithologists]]
[[Category:Australian ornithologists]]
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[[Category:Australian entomologists]]

Latest revision as of 11:15, 29 April 2024

For the British Olympic gymnast, see George Masters (gymnast).

George Masters
Studio portrait of entomologist George Masters, 1867–1877
Born1837
Maidstone, England
Died1912
NationalityEnglish
CitizenshipUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Known forzoology, entomology.
Scientific career
FieldsZoology;
InstitutionsAustralian Museum, Macleay Museum

George Masters (1837–1912) was a zoologist, active in Australia during the 19th century.

Biography

[edit]

Born in Maidstone, England, to Matilda, née Terry, he was trained as a gardener by his father, George Masters, before moving to Sydney. Masters began working as a gardener, then collecting insects in Queensland for William John Macleay, with the backing of the zoologist Gerard Krefft, later taking a position with the Australian Museum as an assistant curator.[1]

Works

[edit]

George Masters was a zoölogical collector, primarily of birds, but also of snakes and other animals. Masters also made a significant contribution to entomology, making large collections of insects available for research. He journeyed to remote regions to obtain specimens, including some that will difficult to obtain and are now listed as rare or endangered. His expeditions across the eastern states were extended to South and Western Australia, Tasmania, and Lord Howe Island. Noted collections include a series of specimens of the Queensland lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri, and in Western Australia, Dasyornis longirostris (western bristlebird) and Atrichornis clamosus (noisy scrub bird).[1]

Masters made two collections from Australia's south west for the museum in Sydney, noted as exceptional in a period when the study the birds of the region was lacking. He arrived by ship at King George Sound in 1866 for his first expedition, collecting a single specimen of the cryptic noisy scrub bird and two of the western bristlebird in a total of 281 bird skins. His second expedition (1868–69) was longer and further, journeying from Albany as far as the head of the Pallinup River, returning to Sydney with six more Atrichornis clamosus skins, 10 of Dasyornis longirostris, and eight of Psophodes nigrogularis (western whipbird).[2] These collections also supplemented those of nests and eggs of that state at the Australian Museum, and allowed A. J. North to publish more complete records of its birds oology and nidification in 1889.[3]

He continued collecting for himself, Krefft, Macleay, and others, despite an agreement with the museum to desist from doing so for personal gain.[1]

Masters is said to have gained extensive knowledge of Australian fauna, but avoided recording this in writing.[1] However, Masters observations of Atrichornis clamosus were published and are important records of a rare and little-known bird. His collections are often cited in North's Nests and eggs of birds found breeding in Australia (publ. 1901–14).[2] He served as curator at the Macleay Museum until 1912.[1]

Legacy

[edit]

Masters is commemorated in the scientific name of a species of an Australian venomous snake, Drysdalia mastersii.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Whitley, G. P. "Masters, George (1837–1912)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  2. ^ a b Serventy, D. L.; Whittell, H. M. (1951). "Sect. 1 Part 3 (c)". A handbook of the birds of Western Australia (with the exception of the Kimberley division) (2 ed.). Perth: Paterson Brokensha. pp. 35–6.
  3. ^ North, Alfred John (1889). Descriptive catalogue of the nests & eggs of birds found breeding in Australia and Tasmania. [Catalogue no. 12]. Sydney: Australian Museum. pp. v–vi. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.56932.
  4. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. ("Masters", p. 171).
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