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Selected Bibliography, Other Sources
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| birth_place = [[Bergen, Norway|Bergen]], [[Norway]]
| birth_place = [[Bergen, Norway|Bergen]], [[Norway]]
| death_date = {{death-date|February 28, 1943|[[February 28]], [[1943]]}}
| death_date = {{death-date|February 28, 1943|[[February 28]], [[1943]]}}
| death_place =
| death_place = [[Washington, D.C.]]
| education = [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]], [[University of Christiania]]
| education = [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]], [[University of Christiania]]
| occupation = [[Zoologist]]
| occupation = [[Zoologist]]
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}}
}}


'''Leonhard Hess Stejneger''' ([[October 30]], [[1851]] - [[February 28]], [[1943]]) was a [[zoologist]].<ref name=wetmore>Wetmore, Alexander (1945) Leonhard Hess Stejneger (1851-1943). Biographical Memoir. Nat. Acad. Sci. Vol. 24. [http://books.nap.edu/html/biomems/lstejneger.pdf PDF]</ref>
'''Leonhard Hess Stejneger''' ([[October 30]], [[1851]] - [[February 28]], [[1943]]) was a [[zoologist]]. Stejneger specialized in vertebrate natural history studies. He gained his greatest reputation with reptiles and amphibians. <ref name=wetmore>Wetmore, Alexander (1945) Leonhard Hess Stejneger (1851-1943). Biographical Memoir. Nat. Acad. Sci. Vol. 24. [http://books.nap.edu/html/biomems/lstejneger.pdf PDF]</ref>
==Background==
⚫
Stejneger was born in [[Bergen, Norway|Bergen]], [[Norway]]. His father was Peter Stamer Steineger who was educated in private schools and was a merchant and auditor and his mother was Ingeborg Catharina. He was the eldest of 7 children. Leonhard attended the Smith Theological School in Bergen from 1859-1860, and Bergen Latin School until 1869. Stejneger's interests zoology developed early. When he was sixteen years old he had a printed catalogue of birds and he sketched birds in water color. He moved with his mother to [[Meran]] in southern [[Tyrol]] and studied under a private tutor. He studied [[law]] and [[philosophy]] at the [[University of Christiania]]. He earned a [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]] and started a brief career as a lawyer.<ref name=wetmore/>
==Career==
⚫
In 1881, he moved to the [[United States]], becoming a U. S. citizen during 1887. He started working at the [[Smithsonian Institution]] under [[Spencer Fullerton Baird]]. Stejneger participated in numerous expeditions to the north of the [[North America]]n continent. From 1882 to 1883 he was sent on an exploration mission to [[Bering Island]] and [[Kamchatka Peninsula|Kamchatka]]. In 1895 he went to the [[Commander Islands]], studying [[fur seal]]s for the U.S. Fish Commission. He returned there a second time in 1922.


⚫
Within the Smithsonian Institution, he moved up the career ladder. In 1884 he was Assistant Curator for [[bird]]s, in 1889 he became Curator for [[reptile]]s, in 1899 Curator for reptiles and [[amphibia]]ns, and from 1911 on he was the Head Curator for biology, a post he held until his death, having been exempted from retirement by a presidential decree.
Stejneger was born in [[Bergen, Norway|Bergen]], [[Norway]]. His father was Peter Stamer Steineger who was educated in private schools and was a merchant and auditor and his mother was Ingeborg
⚫
Catharina. He was the eldest of 7 children. Leonhard attended the Smith Theological School in Bergen from 1859-1860, and Bergen Latin School until 1869. He moved with his mother to Meran in southern Tyrol and studied under a private tutor.<ref name=wetmore/> He studied [[law]] and [[philosophy]] at the [[University of Christiania]]. He earned a [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]] and started a brief career as a lawyer. However, his naturalist interests proved stronger and in 1881 he moved to the [[United States]] and started working at the [[Smithsonian]] under [[Spencer Fullerton Baird]].


⚫
Stejneger published more than 400 scientific works on birds, reptiles, seals, the [[herpetology]] of [[Puerto Rico]], and other topics.
Stejneger's interests zoology developed early and when he was sixteen years old he had a printed catalogue of birds and he sketched birds in water color.<ref name=wetmore/>
⚫
During his trip to Bering Island, he became fascinated by the life of [[Georg Wilhelm Steller]], an 18th century naturalist who had visited the island before. He researched the life of Steller very thoroughly over the next few decades, a hobby which culminated in his only non-scientific publication, an authoritative biography of Steller.


Stejneger attended the International Zoological Congresses of 1898, 1901, 1904, 1907, 1913, 1927, and 1930, as well as ornithological and fisheries congresses. He was elected to the International Committee on Zoological Nomenclature in 1898 and served as the organizing secretary for the Section on Zoogeography at the 1907 Zoological Congress. In 1900, Stejneger was awarded a gold medal at the [[Paris Exposition]] for his work on fur seals management and conservation. In 1923, Stejneger was elected to the [[National Academy of Sciences]]. In 1931, he was made honorary president for life of the [[American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists]]. In 1939, he was made a Commander of the [[Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olaf]]. <ref>''Stejneger, Leonhard Hess (Norway-United States 1851-1943)'' (Chrono-Biographical Sketches: Some Biogeographers, Evolutionists and Ecologists)[http://www.wku.edu/~smithch/chronob/STEJ1851.htm]</ref>
⚫
He participated in numerous expeditions to the north of the [[North America]]n continent. From 1882 to 1883 he was sent on an exploration mission to [[Bering Island]] and [[Kamchatka Peninsula|Kamchatka]]. In 1895 he went to the [[Commander Islands]], studying [[fur seal]]s for the U.S. Fish Commission. He returned there a second time in 1922.


==Selected Bibliography==
⚫
Within the Smithsonian, he moved up the career ladder. In 1884 he was Assistant Curator for [[bird]]s, in 1889 he became Curator for [[reptile]]s, in 1899 Curator for reptiles and [[amphibia]]ns, and from 1911 on he was the Head Curator for biology, a post he held until his death, having been exempted from retirement by a presidential decree.
*''Results of Ornithological Explorations in the Commander Islands and in Kamtschatka'' (1885)

*''Notes on a third collection of birds made in Kauai, Hawaiian Islands'' (1890)
⚫
He published more than 400 scientific works on birds, reptiles, seals, the [[herpetology]] of [[Puerto Rico]], and other topics.
*''The Poisonous Snakes of North America'' (1895)

*''The Russian Fur-Seal Islands'' (1896)
⚫
During his trip to Bering Island, he became fascinated by the life of [[Georg Wilhelm Steller]], an 18th century naturalist who had visited the island before. He researched the life of Steller very thoroughly over the next few decades, a hobby which culminated in his only non-scientific publication, an authoritative biography of Steller.
*''Herpetology of Porto Rico'' (1904)
*''Herpetology of Japan and Adjacent Territories'' (1907)
*''A new Gerrhonotine Lizard from Costa Rica'' (1907)
*''Three new species of lizards from the Philippine Islands'' (1908)
*''A new genus and species of lizard from Florida'' (1911)
*''A new Scincid Lizard from the Philippine Islands'' (1911)
*''Results of the Yale Peruvian Expedition of 1911. Batrachians and Reptiles'' (1913)
*''A chapter in the history of zoological nomenclature'' (1924)
*''Fur-seal industry of the Commander Islands,: 1897-1922'' (1925)
*''Identity of Hallowell's snake genera, Megalops and Aepidea'' (1927)
*''The Chinese lizards of the genus Gekko'' (1934)
*''Georg Wilhelm Steller, the pioneer of Alaskan natural history'' (1936)
==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
==Other Sources==
* ''Leonhard Stejneger Papers, 1867-1943'' (by William R. Massa, Jr., and Linda Elmore. Smithsonian Institution Archives) [http://siarchives.si.edu/findingaids/FARU7074.htm]


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Revision as of 13:58, 28 June 2009

Leonhard Hess Stejneger
BornOctober 30, 1851 (1851-10-30)
Bergen, Norway
DiedFebruary 28, 1943 (1943-03-01)
Washington, D.C.
EducationPh.D., University of Christiania
OccupationZoologist

Leonhard Hess Stejneger (October 30, 1851 - February 28, 1943) was a zoologist. Stejneger specialized in vertebrate natural history studies. He gained his greatest reputation with reptiles and amphibians. [1]

Background

Stejneger was born in Bergen, Norway. His father was Peter Stamer Steineger who was educated in private schools and was a merchant and auditor and his mother was Ingeborg Catharina. He was the eldest of 7 children. Leonhard attended the Smith Theological School in Bergen from 1859-1860, and Bergen Latin School until 1869. Stejneger's interests zoology developed early. When he was sixteen years old he had a printed catalogue of birds and he sketched birds in water color. He moved with his mother to Meran in southern Tyrol and studied under a private tutor. He studied law and philosophy at the University of Christiania. He earned a Ph.D. and started a brief career as a lawyer.[1]

Career

In 1881, he moved to the United States, becoming a U. S. citizen during 1887. He started working at the Smithsonian Institution under Spencer Fullerton Baird. Stejneger participated in numerous expeditions to the north of the North American continent. From 1882 to 1883 he was sent on an exploration mission to Bering Island and Kamchatka. In 1895 he went to the Commander Islands, studying fur seals for the U.S. Fish Commission. He returned there a second time in 1922.

Within the Smithsonian Institution, he moved up the career ladder. In 1884 he was Assistant Curator for birds, in 1889 he became Curator for reptiles, in 1899 Curator for reptiles and amphibians, and from 1911 on he was the Head Curator for biology, a post he held until his death, having been exempted from retirement by a presidential decree.

Stejneger published more than 400 scientific works on birds, reptiles, seals, the herpetology of Puerto Rico, and other topics. During his trip to Bering Island, he became fascinated by the life of Georg Wilhelm Steller, an 18th century naturalist who had visited the island before. He researched the life of Steller very thoroughly over the next few decades, a hobby which culminated in his only non-scientific publication, an authoritative biography of Steller.

Stejneger attended the International Zoological Congresses of 1898, 1901, 1904, 1907, 1913, 1927, and 1930, as well as ornithological and fisheries congresses. He was elected to the International Committee on Zoological Nomenclature in 1898 and served as the organizing secretary for the Section on Zoogeography at the 1907 Zoological Congress. In 1900, Stejneger was awarded a gold medal at the Paris Exposition for his work on fur seals management and conservation. In 1923, Stejneger was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. In 1931, he was made honorary president for life of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. In 1939, he was made a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olaf. [2]

Selected Bibliography

  • Results of Ornithological Explorations in the Commander Islands and in Kamtschatka (1885)
  • Notes on a third collection of birds made in Kauai, Hawaiian Islands (1890)
  • The Poisonous Snakes of North America (1895)
  • The Russian Fur-Seal Islands (1896)
  • Herpetology of Porto Rico (1904)
  • Herpetology of Japan and Adjacent Territories (1907)
  • A new Gerrhonotine Lizard from Costa Rica (1907)
  • Three new species of lizards from the Philippine Islands (1908)
  • A new genus and species of lizard from Florida (1911)
  • A new Scincid Lizard from the Philippine Islands (1911)
  • Results of the Yale Peruvian Expedition of 1911. Batrachians and Reptiles (1913)
  • A chapter in the history of zoological nomenclature (1924)
  • Fur-seal industry of the Commander Islands,: 1897-1922 (1925)
  • Identity of Hallowell's snake genera, Megalops and Aepidea (1927)
  • The Chinese lizards of the genus Gekko (1934)
  • Georg Wilhelm Steller, the pioneer of Alaskan natural history (1936)

References

  1. ^ a b Wetmore, Alexander (1945) Leonhard Hess Stejneger (1851-1943). Biographical Memoir. Nat. Acad. Sci. Vol. 24. PDF
  2. ^ Stejneger, Leonhard Hess (Norway-United States 1851-1943) (Chrono-Biographical Sketches: Some Biogeographers, Evolutionists and Ecologists)[1]

Other Sources

  • Leonhard Stejneger Papers, 1867-1943 (by William R. Massa, Jr., and Linda Elmore. Smithsonian Institution Archives) [2]
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