author
Octavius Pickard-Cambridge
1828–1917
A country clergyman with a global scientific reach, he became one of the leading spider experts of the 19th century. His work helped describe hundreds of species and built a remarkable network of specimens and correspondence from around the world.
1 Audiobook
Supplement to Harvesting Ants and Trap-Door Spiders
by John Traherne Moggridge, Octavius Pickard-Cambridge
About the author
Born in Bloxworth, Dorset, in 1828, he was an English clergyman and zoologist who is best remembered for his work in arachnology, the study of spiders. He served as rector of Bloxworth and, alongside his church duties, built an international reputation as a careful and prolific naturalist.
He described and named more than 900 spider species from material gathered both by himself and by correspondents in many countries. His interests also extended beyond spiders to birds and Lepidoptera, but spiders remained the center of his scientific life, and he was later elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.
What makes his story especially appealing is the mix of quiet village life and worldwide scientific influence. Working largely from Dorset, he became a key figure in Victorian zoology, turning local study and far-flung collaborations into a body of work that lasted well beyond his lifetime.