Joseph Sabine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph Sabine
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 6 June 1770 Tewin, Hertfordshire, England
|
| Died | 24 January 1837 (aged 66) Hanover Square, London, England
|
| Nationality | English |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | |
| Institutions | Linnean Society Royal Horticultural Society |
Joseph Sabine (born June 6, 1770 – died January 24, 1837) was an English lawyer and a very keen naturalist. A naturalist is someone who studies nature, like plants and animals. He was also a writer who focused on horticulture, which is the art of growing gardens and plants.
Life and Work
Joseph Sabine was born in Tewin, England. His family was well-known. His younger brother was Sir Edward Sabine, who became a famous scientist too.
Joseph worked as a lawyer until 1808. After that, he worked for the government, managing taxes until 1835. He loved natural history his whole life. He was one of the first members of the Linnean Society, joining in 1779.
Helping Plant Societies
From 1810 to 1830, Sabine was the honorary secretary of the Royal Horticultural Society. He also served as their treasurer. He received a special gold medal for fixing the society's financial records, which were quite messy.
Under his guidance, the society started its gardens in Hammersmith and later in Chiswick. He sent explorers like David Douglas to collect new plant specimens from far-off places. He also helped start local garden societies across the country.
Sabine wrote about 40 papers for the society's Transactions magazine. These papers were about garden flowers and vegetables. Later, he faced challenges with the society's money. Because of this, he decided to step down from his role in 1830.
Studying Animals
After leaving the Royal Horticultural Society, Sabine focused on the Zoological Society of London. He became their secretary and vice-chairman. He greatly helped the society grow its collection of animals.
Joseph Sabine was an expert on British birds. He knew a lot about how birds change their feathers (moult), where they travel (migrate), and their habits. In November 1799, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists.
Sabine's Gull
Joseph's brother, Edward Sabine, went on an Arctic trip in 1818 with John Ross. During this trip, Edward found a new type of gull. He sent a specimen of this bird to Joseph. Joseph then named this new bird Sabine's gull (Larus sabini) to honor his brother.
Joseph Sabine passed away in London on January 24, 1837. He was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery. A type of plant, Sabinea, was named after him by the famous botanist de Candolle.
