Charles Walter De Vis

Charles Walter de Vis (Birmingham, England, 9 May 1829 — Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 30 April 1915)^[1], known as Devis before about 1882, was an English zoologist^[1] and ornithologist^[2]. Initially a cleric^[1], he gave up his ecclesiastical functions to devote himself to science, initially in England then after 1870 in Australia^[1].

He was a founder member of the Royal Society of Queensland of which he served as president in 1888-1889, and founder member and first vice-president of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union^[2].

His principal work concerned the fossil birds of Queensland (Darling Downs) and southern Australia (Cooper Creek)^[2], but he also described a number of extant bird species. In fact, he was more successful at the latter, because due to insufficient knowledge of stratigraphy and evolution, he - like many ornithologists of his time - mistook subfossil remains of extant birds for the remains of extinct prehistoric species^{[citation needed]}.

Among species he described were the White-winged Robin in 1890, and the Frill-necked Monarch in 1895.^[3]

The standard author abbreviation De Vis is used to indicate this individual as the author when citing a botanical name.^[4]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} de Vis, Charles Walter (1829 - 1915) — Australian Dictionary of Biography
2. ^ ^{a b c} De Vis Charles Walter (1829 - 1915) — Encyclopedia of Australian science
3. ^ Frill-necked Monarch (Arses lorealis — The Internet Bird Collection
4. ^ "Author Query". International Plant Names Index. http://www.ipni.org/ipni/authorsearchpage.do. 

External links

• De Vis Charles Walter — Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search

Persondata
Name	de Vis, Charles
Alternative names	Devis
Short description
Date of birth	1829
Place of birth
Date of death	1915
Place of death