Richard Barrington (naturalist) facts for kids
Richard Manliffe Barrington (born in Fassaroe near Bray in 1849 – died in Dublin on September 15, 1915) was an Irish naturalist. A naturalist is someone who studies nature, including plants and animals.
Barrington was a farmer and also worked as a land valuer. This means he would figure out how much land was worth. He went to Trinity College Dublin and earned a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree.
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Studying Plants and Birds
Richard Barrington wrote many reports about the plants he found. He explored places like Lough Ree, Lough Erne, Ben Bulben, Tory Island, and the Blaskets. The Royal Irish Academy published these important plant studies.
However, Barrington is best known for his work on birds. He was especially interested in how birds travel, which is called bird migration.
Bird Migration Studies
Barrington's most famous book is The migration of birds. This book shared observations from lighthouses and lightships around Ireland. Lighthouse keepers helped him by recording the birds they saw. The book included reports from 1888 to 1897. It also had an analysis of these findings. It even contained measurements of about 1,600 bird wings! Only 350 copies of this large, 667-page book were printed. You can find it online at Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Important Expeditions
In 1896, Barrington was a leader on a special trip to Rockall. Rockall is a small, rocky island far out in the Atlantic Ocean. This trip was organized by the Royal Irish Academy. He went with other famous naturalists like Robert Lloyd Praeger and John A. Harvie Brown. John Harvie Brown was a Scottish naturalist.
Bird Collections
Barrington collected many bird specimens. These were mostly wings and legs of birds. Lighthouse keepers helped him collect them. He stored these specimens in paper envelopes. Today, these collections are kept safe in the National Museum of Ireland and the Ulster Museum. They help scientists learn more about birds from the past.
Memberships and Interests
Richard Barrington was a member of several important scientific groups. He was a Fellow of the Linnean Society. He was also a Member of the British Ornithologists' Union. This group studies birds. He was part of a committee from the British Association. This committee worked to get observations on bird migration from lighthouses and lightships. Besides birds, he was also interested in mammals.
See also
- Amy Barrington – a scientist and family historian
- Charles Barrington – a famous mountaineer
