William Forsell Kirby

William Forsell Kirby (14 January 1844 – 20 November 1912 ) was an English entomologist and folklorist. He specialized in the study of the stick insects, describing nearly 70 species and 22 genera. His collection filled 120 cabinets and claimed that on reorganization, it would need 500 drawers. The stick insect Phobaeticus kirbyi described from Borneo and named by Brunner in 1907 after Kirby is one of the largest stick insects in the world.

Life and work Kirby was born in Leicester. He was the eldest son of banker Samuel Kirby and Lydia Forsell. He was educated privately, and became interested in butterflies and moths at an early age. The family moved to Brighton, where he became acquainted with Henry Cooke, Frederick Merrifield and J. N. Winter through the Brighton and Sussex entomological society. He published his first entomological article in 1856. He was elected fellow of the Entomological Society of London in 1861. He published the Manual of European Butterflies in 1862.

Evolution

Kirby was an advocate of theistic evolution. In his book Evolution and Natural Theology, he argued that evolution and theism are compatible. He noted that creationism was scientifically untenable and refuted its arguments. He viewed nature as a "vast self-adjusting machine".

Publications

Entomology

Collaborative works, and other acknowledgements

, with index

, index and introductions , index and introductions

Other biology

Literary

, translator and editor

, compiled and translated from Estonian and German , translator , translator