- George Montagu (naturalist)
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Montagu is best known for his "Ornithological Dictionary" (1802) and he contributed significantly to early knowledge of British birds. He showed that many hitherto accepted species were invalid, either being birds in summer or winter plumage or males and females of the same species. His study of harriers resulted in the discovery that the
Montagu's Harrier was breeding in southern England, and he was also involved in the first British records ofCirl Bunting ,Cattle Egret ,Little Gull andGull-billed Tern .Montagu was born at the family home of Lackham House in Wiltshire, some three miles south of Chippenham in the north west of that county, and baptised at Lacock Church on July 9, 1753. In 1770 he joined the army as an Ensign in the
15th Regiment of Foot . He resigned his commission as aCaptain in 1777, but eventually rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in theWiltshire Militia . In 1773 he married Ann Courtenay, niece ofJohn Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute . They settled at Alderton House inWiltshire . In 1798 Montagu left his wife and moved to Knowle House, nearKingsbridge inDevon . It was here that he wrote his two-volume "Ornithogical Dictionary; or Alphabetical Synopsis of British Birds".Montagu also had an interest in marine and freshwater natural history, and in 1803 published his "Testacea Britannica, a History of British Marine, Land and Freshwater Shells". This described 470 species of
mollusk s, 100 of which were new to the British list. He supplied some new species ofCrustacea toWilliam Elford Leach at theBritish Museum , and recorded some species offish for the first time in English waters, as well as discovering new species including Montagu'sBlenny and Montagu'sSnapper . He also described theLesser Horseshoe Bat for the first time.Montagu died of
tetanus after stepping on a nail at Knowle House. He was buried at Kingsbridge Parish Church. Montagu's collection of birds was bought by the British Museum, about 200 of which are now housed at the Tring Museum. His annotated copies of the "Dictionary" and "Testacea" were bequeathed to theLinnean Society .References
*"Biographies for Birdwatchers" - Barbara and Richard Mearns ISBN 0-12-487422-3
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