South African Zoologists - South African Herpetologists, South African Ornithologists, C. G. Finch-Davies, Austin Stevens, John Varty (Paperback)

Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: South African Herpetologists, South African Ornithologists, C. G. Finch-Davies, Austin Stevens, John Varty, John Hyacinth Power, Phillip Clancey, Richard Kendall Brooke, John Hewitt, Frederick William Fitzsimons, Austin Roberts, J. W. B. Gunning, Alwin Karl Haagner, P. Alexander Hulley. Excerpt: Claude Gibney Finch-Davies (24 May 1875 4 August 1920) was a British soldier, ornithologist and painter who produced a series of paintings of birds of South Africa in the early part of the 20th century. He was born in Delhi, India, the third child and eldest son of Major-General Sir William and Lady Elizabeth B. Davies ne Field. His father later became Governor of Delhi and was awarded the Order of the Star of India, while his mother was said to be an expert on Indian snakes. At the age of six, in keeping with the custom of the time, Davies was sent to school in England, where his scholastic performance was unenthusiastic. Having finished his schooling, Davies joined the Cape Mounted Riflemen in 1893 at their recruiting office in London. In that same year his regiment saw service in Pondoland in South Africa. They were sent there to keep the peace after that territory had been annexed by the Cape Colony. As a professional soldier Davies was posted to various remote places in the Eastern Cape, and this fostered an interest in natural history and in particular, birdlife. Within a year or two, he was collecting bird specimens and starting sketches and paintings. In his field sketchbooks he provided copious notes about each species he illustrated - at first his own field observations, but later augmented by information culled from books and scientific journals. His style of painting rapidly evolved to show great detail in the plumage while retaining a... More: http://booksllc.net/?id=10254408