Edward Pierson Ramsay (3 December 1842 – 16 December 1916) was an Australian zoologist who specialised in ornithology.

Early life

Ramsay was born in Dobroyd Estate, Long Cove, Sydney, and educated at St Mark's Collegiate School, The King's School, Parramatta. He studied medicine from 1863 to 1865 at the University of Sydney but did not graduate.

Career

Although he never had had any formal scientific training in zoology, Ramsay had a keen interest in natural history and published many papers.

In 1883 Ramsay traveled to London to attend the International Fisheries Exhibition. At that time he met Military Surgeon Francis Day who had collected fishes over several decades in India, Burma, Malaysia and other areas in southern Asia. Ramsay negotiated purchase a portion of Day's collection, including about 150 of Day's type specimens.

Presumably during the same trip to Britain he visited Edinburgh, as he was elected an Ordinary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (requiring his physical presence) in April 1884. His proposers were Sir John Murray, Sir William Turner, James Geikie and William Carmichael McIntosh.

Late life

After his resignation as Curator, Ramsay served the Australian Museum as "consulting ornithologist" until 1909. He died on 16 December 1916 because of carcinoma.

Taxa described by him

Among organisms Ramsay described are:

  • northern death adder (Acanthophis praelongus)
  • the pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta)

The Spotted grubfish Parapercis ramsayi is believed to be named after him.

Ramsayornis is a meliphagid genus which is named after him. It contains two species:

  • Bar-breasted Honeyeater Ramsayornis fasciatus <small>(Gould, 1843)</small>
  • Brown-backed Honeyeater Ramsayornis modestus <small>(Gray, GR, 1858)</small>

References

  • Australian Museum Ramsay page