JANSON, Oliver Erichson

Son of Edward Wesley Janson (see above) and shared his passion for the Coleoptera, taking over the family business and involving himself in collecting, research and publication. Janson's early youth was spent at Fortis Green, Middlesex, in the area of which he collected extensively particularly at Finchley, Hampstead and Highgate. In 1906 he travelled to Iceland as a result of which he presented a collection of beetles to the Museum at Reikjavik whose holdings of Coleoptera were thin. On return he became interested in the fauna of Ireland, particularly Co Kerry, making two or three visits during the War and publishing some eight species new to the Irish list. In some of these he collaborated with other entomologists eg. A.H.Haliday and L.H.Bonaparte-Wyse. (There is a list in Ryan et al (1984) pp.69-70). Janson's favourite group was the Cetoniidae on which he became a world authority, publishing many new genera and species in Trans.ESL.,EMM., and AMNH., and the two magazines which he published with his father Cistula Entomologica (1869-1885) and The Journal of Entomology (1862-1866). 'Descriptions of new species of Australian Cetoniidae' in Cist. ent., 1, 1873, pp.133-140, was his first entomological publication. He also published occasional notes on the British fauna to which he added two new species, Stenopelmus rufinasus Gyll., found in the Norfolk fens whilst searching for Bagous binodulus (EMM., 57, 1921, pp.225-26) and Pentaphyllus testaceous, Hellw. Janson's collection of British beetles was acquired by the Cambridge Museum through purchase (£15) from his grandson, who was studying at Cambridge, in 1934. The Museum Register notes that it was housed in a 30 drawer cabinet and that it contained more than 100 species new to the general museum collection, some of which were in long series. It also mentions that it included a large proportion of Irish insects. The Museum also purchased his marked-up check list and an incomplete diary. This last is titled Entomological Journal No 2 New Series from 1864 to [1926] British Coleoptera and contains detailed entries giving place, date of capture, habitats, numbers of specimens taken, etc.. The diary is particularly interesting for the information it contains about the insects which Janson and his father acquired from numerous other coleopterists. Janson's collection was amalgamated into the general collection in 1945 after 100 specimens had been removed to the E.A.Newbery collection. Specimens collected by Janson also exist in Doncaster Museum, Liverpool Museum and the HDO. Of the last, Smith (1986) notes: 'Various insects purchased between 1863 and 1879, including some from north coast of New Holland (1866 £1); Nepal, Upper Amazon, New Holland and Moluccas (1867, 14s 6d) one Lamellicorn, Cyphelytra ochracea Waterh. from Darjeeling (1875, 15s). Van der Poll collection of Carabidae and Orthoptera (purchased by Poulton, 1909, £40) [including specimens from L.A.A.Chevrolat and J.R.H. Neerwort]'. Janson was a member of the ESL from 1869. (MD 8/03)