Walter Buller
Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use New Zealand English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox scientist Sir Walter Lawry Buller Template:Post-nominals (9 October 1838 – 19 July 1906) was a New Zealand lawyer and naturalist who was a dominant figure in New Zealand ornithology. His book, A History of the Birds of New Zealand, first published in 1873, was published as an enlarged version in 1888 and became a New Zealand classic.
BiographyEdit
Buller was born at Newark, the Wesleyan mission at Pakanae in the Hokianga, the son of Rev. James Buller, a Cornish missionary who had helped convert the people of Tonga to Methodism. He was educated at Wesley College in Auckland. In 1854, he moved to Wellington with his parents, where he was befriended by the naturalist William Swainson. In 1859 he was made Native Commissioner for the Southern Provinces. In 1871 he travelled to England and was called to the bar at the Inner Temple. Three years later he returned to Wellington and practised law.<ref name="DNZB Buller">Template:DNZB</ref>
In 1862, he married Charlotte Mair at Whangārei. They were to have four children.<ref name="DNZB Buller" />
Buller was the author of A History of the Birds of New Zealand (1872–1873, 2nd ed. 1887–1888), with illustrations by John Gerrard Keulemans and Henrik Grönvold.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1882 he produced the Manual of the Birds of New Zealand as a cheaper popular alternative. In 1905, he published a two-volume Supplement to the History of the Birds of New Zealand, which brought the work up to date.
Buller was appointed Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George in 1875.<ref name="DNZB Buller" /> In November 1886, he was promoted to Knight Commander.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> Buller helped establish the scientific display in the New Zealand Court at the World's Fair in Paris and was decorated with the Officer of the Legion of Honour by the President of France in November 1889.<ref>Brewer, M., 'New Zealand and the Legion d'honneur: Officiers, Commandeurs and Dignites', The Volunteers: The Journal of the New Zealand Military Historical Society, 35(3), March 2010, p.136.</ref><ref>'Death of Sir Walter Buller, A noted Ornithologist', Evening Post, 20 July 1906, p.6.</ref>
He had several unsuccessful attempts at entering Parliament as a Liberal. He contested the general elections of 1876 (Template:NZ electorate link; beaten by the incumbent Walter Johnston)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Template:NZ election link year (Template:NZ electorate link, where he came fourth of six candidates),<ref name="DNZB Buller" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the Template:By-election link in the Template:NZ electorate link electorate (where he was beaten by William Fraser, the official Liberal Party candidate).<ref name="Te Aroha Election">Template:Cite news</ref>
He emigrated to England and died at Fleet in Hampshire on 19 July 1906.<ref name="DNZB Buller" />
Wellington playwright Nick Blake authored a play on Buller's life, Dr Buller's Birds, which had its debut at the 2006 NZ International Arts Festival.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
List of honoursEdit
- File:Ord.St.Michele-Giorgio.png KCMG
- File:Legion Honneur Officier ribbon.svg Officier de la Légion d'Honneur (France)
- File:Palmes academiques Officier ribbon.svg Officier de la Palmes académiques (France)
EponymsEdit
Species named after Walter Buller include Thalassarche bulleri (Buller's albatross) and Puffinus bulleri (Buller's shearwater).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Bul01BirdBCover.jpg
Book cover - A History of the Birds of New Zealand by Sir Walter Lawry Buller, Illustrated by J. G. Keulemans, 2nd edition, Published 1888.
- Bul01BirdP020.jpg
Illustrations of the morepork (left) and the extinct laughing owl (right) by John Gerrard Keulemans in Buller's A History of the Birds of New Zealand. 2nd edition. Published 1888.
- Bul02BirdP049.jpg
Pachyornis elephantopus ("Heavy-footed Moa")
original caption: Leg of Dinornis elephantopus (front view: three-fourths natural size)