Charles Lionel Augustus de Nicéville[1] (1852 in Bristol – 3 December 1901 in Calcutta from malaria) was a curator at the Indian Museum in Calcutta (now Kolkata). He studied the butterflies of the Indian Subcontinent and wrote a three volume monograph on the butterflies of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Burma and Sri Lanka. He also studied the mantids of the Oriental region.
Born in a noble Huguenot family, his father was a physician. He was educated at St. John's College at Hurstpierpoint near Brighton.[2] Leaving England for India in 1870, de Nicéville became a clerk in a government office (Calcutta Small Cause Court) but from at least 1881, devoted all of his spare time to entomology. He worked with most 'Indian' entomologists of the day but especially with Henry John Elwes, Taylor, Wood–Mason, Martin and Marshall. At this time, he made several trips to Sikkim. In 1887 he made a trip to the Baltistan glaciers along with John Henry Leech.[2] He made collections on these trips and wrote a series of papers in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal (1881, 1882, 1883 and 1885) and in 1890 the results were summarised in the Gazetteer of Sikhim (1890) in which G. A Gammie and De Niceville recorded about 631 species of butterflies found in Sikkim. Also included were butterflies found in Darjeeling, Buxa and Bhutan, areas contiguous with Sikkim. In 1892 he proposed a new genus of skipper butterflies, Crossiura, in an article in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society.
1899 was a year of great famine coinciding with George Nathaniel Curzon's appointment as Viceroy of India. Curzon was hugely energetic and supportive of government efforts to help agriculture. "Our real reform has been to endeavour for the first time to apply science on a large scale to the study and practice of Indian agriculture." he wrote in 1901. Curzon began in 1901 by elevating the Bombay director of agriculture to the new position of inspector-general of agriculture. Curzon also undertook the expansion of provincial research, linked to districts by experiment as well as demonstration farms. In 1901 he appointed an imperial mycologist and an imperial entomologist; two years later, he appointed an imperial agriculturalist and an imperial economic botanist. The entomologist was de Nicéville, who whilst a lepidopterist was able to co-ordinate work on other insect orders. One of his major works was on the Mantodea of the Oriental region.[3]
He married Jane Sarah Webb, a widow, at St James' Church Calcutta on 21 September 1881. Their only child, Nora De Niceville, was born in Calcutta on 25 August 1882.
Lionel died of malaria contracted while travelling in the Terai region.[4]
Worksedit
Partial list:
1883 with G. F. L. Marshall. "Butterflies of India, Burmah and Ceylon". Vol. 1. Repr. 1979, New Delhi, 327 pp.
1886. "The Butterflies of India, Burmah and Ceylon". Vol. 2. Repr. 1979, New Delhi, 332 pp.
1890. "The butterflies of India, Burmah and Ceylon". Vol. 3. Repr. 1979, New Delhi, 503 pp.
1892. "On new and little known Butterflies from the Indo-Malayan region", Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 7: 322-356.
1894 "On new and little-known butterflies from the Indo-Malayan region" J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal (II) 63 (1): 1–59, pls. 1–5
1898 "On new and little-known butterflies from the Indo-Malayan, Austro-Malayan and Australian Regions" Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 12 (1): 131–161, 4 pls.
1900 "On new and little-known Lepidoptera from the Oriental region". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 13, 157–176, 3 pl. (174).
Collectionedit
Part of de Nicéville's butterfly collection was given to the Asiatic Society, Calcutta in 1880. Other parts were given, in 1902 to the Indian Museum in Calcutta and to the Peter Redpath Museum in Montreal.
Notesedit
^His name is sometimes spelled as "de Niceville", for instance in: Bingham, Col. C.T. – 'Obituary, Lionel de Niceville,' in: The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6, issue 727 (January 1902), p. 21/22.
^ abRao, BR Subba (1998) History of entomology in India. Institution of Agricultural Technologist, Bangalore.
^Dover, Cedric (1922). "Entomology in India". The Calcutta Review. 3 (2): 336–349.
Anonymous 1902: [Nicéville, C. L. A.] Entomologist's Monthly Magazine (2) 38 41
Anonymous 1902–1903: The late Mr C. L. de Nicéville J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 14:140–141.
Fowler, W. W. 1901: [Nicéville, C. L. A.] Trans. Ent. Soc. London 1901 XXXIV-XXXV
Holland, W. J. 1902: Nicéville, C. L. A. Ent. News 13:63.
Kirby, W. F. 1902: [Nicéville, C. L. A.] Entomologist 35 79–80
Martin, L. 1901: [Nicéville, C. L. A.] Dt. ent. Z. 14 381–386
Martin, L. 1902: [Nicéville, C. L. A.] Insektenbörse 19 25–26
External linksedit
Wikisource has texts related to Lionel de Nicéville.
The Butterflies of India, Burmah and Ceylon. Volume 1 Volume 2 Volume 3
Correspondence on deputation and pay for Niceville. National Archives of India. 1881
January 01, 1970
lionel, nicéville, charles, lionel, augustus, nicéville, 1852, bristol, december, 1901, calcutta, from, malaria, curator, indian, museum, calcutta, kolkata, studied, butterflies, indian, subcontinent, wrote, three, volume, monograph, butterflies, india, bangla. Charles Lionel Augustus de Niceville 1 1852 in Bristol 3 December 1901 in Calcutta from malaria was a curator at the Indian Museum in Calcutta now Kolkata He studied the butterflies of the Indian Subcontinent and wrote a three volume monograph on the butterflies of India Bangladesh Nepal Burma and Sri Lanka He also studied the mantids of the Oriental region Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 3 Collection 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksBiography editBorn in a noble Huguenot family his father was a physician He was educated at St John s College at Hurstpierpoint near Brighton 2 Leaving England for India in 1870 de Niceville became a clerk in a government office Calcutta Small Cause Court but from at least 1881 devoted all of his spare time to entomology He worked with most Indian entomologists of the day but especially with Henry John Elwes Taylor Wood Mason Martin and Marshall At this time he made several trips to Sikkim In 1887 he made a trip to the Baltistan glaciers along with John Henry Leech 2 He made collections on these trips and wrote a series of papers in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal 1881 1882 1883 and 1885 and in 1890 the results were summarised in the Gazetteer of Sikhim 1890 in which G A Gammie and De Niceville recorded about 631 species of butterflies found in Sikkim Also included were butterflies found in Darjeeling Buxa and Bhutan areas contiguous with Sikkim In 1892 he proposed a new genus of skipper butterflies Crossiura in an article in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society nbsp Parnassius stoliczkanus ssp nicevilli 1899 was a year of great famine coinciding with George Nathaniel Curzon s appointment as Viceroy of India Curzon was hugely energetic and supportive of government efforts to help agriculture Our real reform has been to endeavour for the first time to apply science on a large scale to the study and practice of Indian agriculture he wrote in 1901 Curzon began in 1901 by elevating the Bombay director of agriculture to the new position of inspector general of agriculture Curzon also undertook the expansion of provincial research linked to districts by experiment as well as demonstration farms In 1901 he appointed an imperial mycologist and an imperial entomologist two years later he appointed an imperial agriculturalist and an imperial economic botanist The entomologist was de Niceville who whilst a lepidopterist was able to co ordinate work on other insect orders One of his major works was on the Mantodea of the Oriental region 3 He was a Corresponding Member of the Zoological Society of London and a Fellow of the Entomological Society He married Jane Sarah Webb a widow at St James Church Calcutta on 21 September 1881 Their only child Nora De Niceville was born in Calcutta on 25 August 1882 Lionel died of malaria contracted while travelling in the Terai region 4 Works editPartial list 1883 with G F L Marshall Butterflies of India Burmah and Ceylon Vol 1 Repr 1979 New Delhi 327 pp 1886 The Butterflies of India Burmah and Ceylon Vol 2 Repr 1979 New Delhi 332 pp 1890 The butterflies of India Burmah and Ceylon Vol 3 Repr 1979 New Delhi 503 pp 1892 On new and little known Butterflies from the Indo Malayan region Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 7 322 356 1894 On new and little known butterflies from the Indo Malayan region J Asiat Soc Bengal II 63 1 1 59 pls 1 5 1898 On new and little known butterflies from the Indo Malayan Austro Malayan and Australian Regions Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 12 1 131 161 4 pls 1900 On new and little known Lepidoptera from the Oriental region Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 13 157 176 3 pl 174 Collection editPart of de Niceville s butterfly collection was given to the Asiatic Society Calcutta in 1880 Other parts were given in 1902 to the Indian Museum in Calcutta and to the Peter Redpath Museum in Montreal Notes edit His name is sometimes spelled as de Niceville for instance in Bingham Col C T Obituary Lionel de Niceville in The Zoologist 4th series vol 6 issue 727 January 1902 p 21 22 a b Rao BR Subba 1998 History of entomology in India Institution of Agricultural Technologist Bangalore Dover Cedric 1922 Entomology in India The Calcutta Review 3 2 336 349 Obituary Sheffield Daily Telegraph 28 December 1901 p 6 via British Newspaper Archive References editAnonymous 1902 Niceville C L A Entomologist s Monthly Magazine 2 38 41 Anonymous 1902 1903 The late Mr C L de Niceville J Bombay Nat Hist Soc 14 140 141 Fowler W W 1901 Niceville C L A Trans Ent Soc London 1901 XXXIV XXXV Holland W J 1902 Niceville C L A Ent News 13 63 Kirby W F 1902 Niceville C L A Entomologist 35 79 80 Martin L 1901 Niceville C L A Dt ent Z 14 381 386 Martin L 1902 Niceville C L A Insektenborse 19 25 26External links edit nbsp Wikisource has texts related to Lionel de Niceville The Butterflies of India Burmah and Ceylon Volume 1 Volume 2 Volume 3 Correspondence on deputation and pay for Niceville National Archives of India 1881 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lionel de Niceville amp oldid 1180633304, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
