Ferdinand Stoliczka (June 7, 1838 – June 19, 1874) was a Moravian palaeontologist who worked in India on paleontology, geology and various aspects of zoology. Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Year 1838 ( MDCCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. Year 1874 ( MDCCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Moravia (Morava; Morawy Moravie Moravia is a historical region in central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, one of the former Czech lands. Palaeontology redirects here For the Scientific journal, see Palaeontology (journal. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Palaeontology redirects here For the Scientific journal, see Palaeontology (journal. Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit He died of high altitude sickness during an expedition across the Himalayas.
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Early life
Stoliczka was born at Hukvaldy (Hochwald) near Kromeriz in Moravia. Hukvaldy (Hochwald is a village in the Czech Republic, in the Moravian-Silesian Region. Moravia (Morava; Morawy Moravie Moravia is a historical region in central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, one of the former Czech lands. Stoliczka, whose father was a forester, studied at a German Secondary school in Kromeriz. Although Stoliczka published 79 articles from 1859–1875, he never wrote anything in Czech. It is believed that he spoke German at home. In his Calcutta years he was an important figure in the German-speaking community there.
Stoliczka studied geology and palaeontology at Prague and the University of Vienna under Professor Eduard Suess and Dr Rudolf Hoernes and his earliest works were studies on some freshwater mollusca from the Cretaceous rocks of the north-eastern Alps about which he wrote to the Vienna Academy in 1859. Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. The University of Vienna (Universität Wien is a Public university located in Vienna, Austria. Eduard Suess ( August 20, 1831 London &ndash April 26, 1914 Vienna) was a Geologist who was an expert on the Rudolf Hoernes ( October 7, 1850 &ndash 1912 was an Austrian Geologist, born in Vienna. Molluscs are animals belonging to the phylum Mollusca. There are around 250000 extant Species within the phylum with an estimated 70000 His scientific career proper started in the Austrian Geological Survey, which he joined in 1861, and his first papers there were based on work in the Alps and Hungary.
Career in India
In 1862 Stoliczka joined the Geological Survey of India (GSI) under the British Government in India after being recruited by Dr Thomas Oldham (1816–1878). Geological Survey of India (GSI established in 1851 is a government organization in India for conducting geological surveys and studies Thomas Oldham ( May 4[[ 816]] Dublin - July 17[[ 878]] Rugby) was a British Geologist. In Calcutta he was assigned the job of documenting the Cretaceous fossils of southern India and published them in the Palaeontologia indica, along with William Thomas Blanford. The Cretaceous (kriːˈteɪʃəs, usually abbreviated 'K' for its German translation "Kreide" is a geologic period and system, reaching from the end of FOSSIL is a standard protocol for allowing serial communication for Telecommunications programs under the DOS Operating system. William Thomas Blanford ( October 7, 1832 &ndash June 23, 1905) was an English Geologist and naturalist. By May 1873 this work was completed with four volumes totalling nearly 15000 pages.
He studied the geology of the western Himalayas and Tibet, and published numerous papers on many subjects including Indian zoology. Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European Zoology (from Greek ζῷον, zoon, "animal" + λόγος, " Logos " "knowledge" is the branch of He was also briefly (in 1868) the joint curator of the Indian Museum and also the Natural History Secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. He was involved in editing the Society's journal.
Trips
He visited Burma, Malaysia and Singapore, and made two trips to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Rann of Kutch. His first Himalayan trip was in 1864 with F. R. Mallet of the GSI. In 1865 he visited again with an artist friend and a dog to the Ladakh Valley. He visited Kutch in 1871–1872 but noted that his geology work kept him from making many observations. Kachchh (also spelled as Kutch) is a District of Gujarat state in western India. He noted wild cheetahs from the region and also what is now Stoliczka's bushchat. The cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus) is an atypical member of the cat family ( Felidae) that is unique in its speed while lacking climbing abilities In 1873 he joined an expedition organized by Hume along with Valentine Ball to the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Valentine Ball ( July 14, 1843 &ndash June 15, 1894) was an Irish Geologist, and a brother of Sir Robert Ball
Last expedition
His third and last expedition was the most important expedition (1873–1874) during the height of the "Great Game", the rivalry between the Russian and British empires. Eastern Turkestan (Kashgaria) was a buffer state of prime importance. Kashgar or Kashi (officially transliterated as Kaxgar in Uyghur; قەشقەر/K̡ǝxk̡ǝr, is an Oasis The British launched an official diplomatic enterprise—the Second Yarkand Mission led by (afterwards Sir) Douglas Forsyth to Yakub Beg, the ruler of Chinese Turkestan. Muhammad Yaqub Bek (1820 – May 30, 1877) ( Uzbek:Муҳаммад Яқуб Бек was an Uzbek adventurer who became head of the kingdom The mission had seven sahibs, 350 support staff and 550 animals The expedition needed 6476 porters and 1621 horses and it is said that the Ladakh economy took four years to recover from the losses incurred.
The mission set out from Rawalpindi to Leh via Murree. ( Urdu: Rāwalpindī) is a city in the Potwar Plateau near Pakistan 's capital city of Islamabad, in the province The mission travelled past the Pangong Lake, Changchenmo and Karakash Valley onto Shahidulla and finally to Yarkand. Pangong Tso (or Pangong Lake; Tso: Ladakhi for lake is a Lake in the Himalayas situated at a height of about 4250 m (13900 ft Yarkand, Yarkent, and Yarkant are spelling variants and may refer to Yarkent County Yarkand River They reached Kashgar in December 1873. On March 17, 1874 they began the return journey. Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger Year 1874 ( MDCCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common They were to visit the Pamir and Afghanistan areas but could not do so due to the political situation and returned to India via Ladakh. On June 16, 1874 he had severe headaches as they crossed the Karakoram pass (5580 m). Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses. Year 1874 ( MDCCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common That night, he wrote. . . .
- . . . upon this followed massive dolomitic limestone and this was overlain with blue shales. I must have a ramble in these limestones tomorrow.
Captain Trotter reported that on the 18th "he started on horseback early in the morning to examine some rocks up the stream. Frederic Moore FZS ( May 13, 1830 – May 10, 1907) was a British Entomologist. " He returned tired and complained of a headache. He breathed heavily and coughed all night. The native doctor diagnosed acute bronchitis and inflammation of the lungs and treated him with brandy mixed in a cough mixture. At 2 p. m. he drank some port wine and "his respiration grew slower and slower, and also did his pulse, and he finally breathed his last, dying so quietly that it was impossible to say at what precise instant he passed away".
Stoliczka died on June 19, 1874 at Moorghi in Ladakh. Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. Year 1874 ( MDCCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Ladakh ( Ladakhi lad̪ɑks लदाख لدّاخ "land of high passes" is a region in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir between His dying request was that the birds part of the scientific results of the expedition be published by Allan Octavian Hume. Allan Octavian Hume ( June 6, 1829 - July 31, 1912) son of Joseph Hume was a Civil servant in British governed India This work was finally, however completed by Richard Bowdler-Sharpe seventeen years later. Richard Bowdler Sharpe ( 22 November 1847 - 25 December 1909) was an English Zoologist.
Dr. H. W. Bellew did the post-mortem and confirmed "spinal meningitis deteriorated by over-exertion in strenuous endeavours after information, and the great height. Henry Walter Bellew MRCP (1834-1892 was an Indian-born British medical man and author " Today this is generally believed to have been Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), a condition well known to Himalayan travellers. It manifests as pulmonary or cerebral oedema. Above 5000 m this is fatal in about 40% of the cases. Conditions that aggravate it include exertion, fast ascent and alcohol, all of which were present in his case.
Ornithological contributions
Stoliczka's interest in birds started only in 1864 when in the Himalayas and he was greatly encouraged by Allan Octavian Hume, the "father of Indian Ornithology". Allan Octavian Hume ( June 6, 1829 - July 31, 1912) son of Joseph Hume was a Civil servant in British governed India His first ornithological work was making large collections of birds from the Sutlej Valley.
Arthur Viscount Walden recognized his contributions and welcomed the geologist Stoliczka to a high place among scientific ornithologists but disagreed with Stoliczka's idea of adding new species due to small differences in plumage. Colonel Arthur Hay 9th Marquess of Tweeddale ( 9 November 1824 &ndash 29 December 1878) known before 1862 as Lord Arthur Hay and between Hume however supported Stoliczka and wrote a note in the journal, Ibis, against the cabinet naturalists of London who knew nothing about the geography of India. Hume shortly afterwards started the journal Stray Feathers and persuaded ornithologists in India to publish there.
Some of Stoliczka's new species were discovered to have been already discovered by the Russian zoologist N. A. Severtzov. Nikolai Alekseevich Severtzov ( 1827 - February 8, 1885) was a Russian Explorer and naturalist. A week before his death, Stoliczka wrote to Valentine Ball. Valentine Ball ( July 14, 1843 &ndash June 15, 1894) was an Irish Geologist, and a brother of Sir Robert Ball . .
- 'Please tell Waterhouse to order for the Asiatic, Severtzov's Turkestanskie Jevotnie immediately, if it is not at the Indian Museum. If they do not like ordering it, order it for myself through Truebner without delay. Do not forget, please. '
A granite obelisk is erected in his memory at the Moravian Cemetery in Leh. An obituary was published in Nature, July 9, 1874 by W. T. Blanford. Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1874 ( MDCCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common William Thomas Blanford ( October 7, 1832 &ndash June 23, 1905) was an English Geologist and naturalist.
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Born in Moravia 7th June 1838 |
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A partial list of his publications on birds include
- Stoliczka, F. (1873): Letters to the Editor. Stray Feathers. 1(5):425-427.
- Stoliczka, F. (1874): Letters to the Editor. Stray Feathers. 2(4&5):461-463.
- Stoliczka, F. (1874): Letters to the Editor. Stray Feathers. 2(4&5):463-465.
- Stoliczka, F. (1875): The avifauna of Kashgar in winter. Stray Feathers. 3(1,2&3):215-220.
- Stoliczka, F. (1872): Notice of the mammals and birds inhabiting Kachh [Cutch]. Jour. Asiatic Soc. Bengal 41(2):211-258.
- Stoliczka, F. (1868): Ornithological observations in the Sutlej valley, N. W. Himalayas. Jour. Asiatic Soc. Bengal 37(2):1-70.
Species named
Some of the species named after him are listed below. Not all names may be currently valid.
- Stoliczka's crab spider (Thomisus stoliczka)
- Ladakh Banded Apollo, Parnassius stoliczkanus, C. Ladakh Banded Apollo Parnassius stoliczkanus is a rare high altitude Butterfly which is found in Central Asia. Ladakh Banded Apollo Parnassius stoliczkanus is a rare high altitude Butterfly which is found in Central Asia. & R. Felder 1864
- Orange Clouded Yellow, Colias stoliczkana, M
- Stoliczka's Tic-Tac-Toe Barb (Puntius stoliczkanus) / (Barbus stoliczkanus)
- Stoliczka's Loach (Nemacheilus stoliczkai)
- Stoliczka's Bushchat (Saxicola macrorhyncha)
- Stoliczka's Treecreeper (Certhia nipalensis)
- Stoliczka's Trident Bat (Aselliscus stoliczkanus)
- Stoliczka's mountain vole (Alticola stoliczkanus)
- The snake genus Stoliczkaia
See also
References
- Jiri Hruby (2005) Ferdinand Stoliczka. Orange Clouded Yellow, Colias stoliczkana is a small Butterfly of the Family Pieridae that is the Yellows and Whites which is found in India Stoliczka's Bushchat, Saxicola macrorhynchus, is an Old World flycatcher in the genus Saxicola. Payer Island (Ostrov Payera is an island in Franz Josef Land, Russia. Birding Asia 3(2005):50–56
External links
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