Aurelian (entomology)
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Aurelian is an archaic term used for lepidopterists, those interested in butterflies. The Society of Aurelians was one of the oldest organized bodies of specialists in any branch of zoology and was probably founded by Joseph Dandridge and a few others. They collected and documented insects from the 1690s and these collections were made available to John Ray. The history of the society is known only from the works of Benjamin Wilkes in his book The English Moths and Butterflies (1748-9). The society flourised for a time but came to an abrupt end in March 1747-8. While members of the society were in a meeting in Swan Tavern in Change Alley, a great fire broke out in Cornhill and enveloped them. All the members escaped but their entire collection, library and records were destroyed. This event was documented by Moses Harris in The Aurelian; or, Natural History of English Insects (1765). The loss disheartened the group so much that they never managed to regroup again.
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[edit] References
- Allen, David Elliston (1976) The naturalist in Britain: a social history. Princeton University Press. 1994 edition. ISBN 0-691-03628-4
