SHUCKARD, William Edward

Primarily a Hymenopterist but known by Coleopterists for the volume he published with illustrations by William Spry The British Coleoptera Delineated, consisting of figures of all the genera of British Beetles (1840, 1861). Little is known about Shuckard who was the son of the German landlord of the Old Ship Hotel, Brighton. His single obituary, by Edward Newman in Ent., 60, 1868, pp.180-182, mentions that he was educated at ‘first-class schools’ where he became ‘an excellent scholar and reader of old and rare books’ .Subsequently he became apprenticed in the book trade in both London and Germany but gave this up to be a writer and student of entomology in which he was first inspired by seeing a specimen of Cicindela campestris while rambling over the downs. Apart from his works on Hymenoptera he also published a translation of Burmeister’s Manual of Entomology in 1836, to which he added notes, and Chris Levitt, a descendant, tells me that he also translated a book on the management and habits of Cage Birds. His library was sold by Sotheby’s in 742 lots on 13-14 August 1863, and his Hymenoptera collections as part of the Devisgnes collection in 1868. FESL 1843, Vice President 1837-38, Council 1834, 1840, 1842. (MD 11/04)