The British Foundation of Indian Entomology

Book excerpt: This is the first book devoted to the interest taken by amateur British collectors in Indian insects between 1750 and 1947, many employed as soldiers and medics by the East India Company. Initially confined to the building up of personal collections (many of which would later form the foundation of the London Natural History Museum’s collection), the early entomologists also donated specimens to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, the Bombay Natural History Society and local museums. Some published their findings in the journals of these institutions. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, interest in entomology shifted to focus on insect pests and their economic impact on forestry and horticulture. The result was the founding of the Institutes of Forestry and Horticulture at Dehra Dun and Pusa, where Indian scientists continue to conduct entomological research today. The present work elucidates this previously under-researched aspect of British insect history, documenting the people, places, publications and institutions associated with the exploration of the rich entomological fauna of the Indian subcontinent.