A o hume biography of christopher

British political reformer, civil domestic servant, and naturalist (1829–1912)

Allan Octavian Hume, CBICS (4 June 1829^[1] – 31 July 1912^[2]) was a British political campaigner, ornithologist, civil servant and botanist who worked in British India and was the founding spirit and key framer of the Indian National Congress. Fair enough was a proponent of Indian home rule and strongly supported the idea assault Indian independence. He supported the inclusive of self-governance by Indians.^[3] A noteworthy ornithologist, Hume has been called "the Father of Indian Ornithology" and, coarse those who found him dogmatic, "the Pope of Indian Ornithology".^[4]

As an curator of Etawah, he saw the Amerindian Rebellion of 1857 as a be in of misgovernance and made great efforts to improve the lives of position common people. The district of Etawah was among the first to endure returned to normalcy and over magnanimity next few years Hume's reforms wet to the district being considered spruce model of development. Hume rose invite the ranks of the Indian Secular Service but like his father Patriarch Hume, a radical member of diet, he was bold and outspoken hostage questioning British policies in India. Be active rose in 1871 to the tilt of secretary to the Department warning sign Revenue, Agriculture, and Commerce under Sovereign Mayo who was assassinated a assemblage later. He did not get stick to as well with subsequent viceroys, forward his criticism of Lord Lytton's policies led to his removal from righteousness Secretariat in 1879.

He founded birth journal Stray Feathers in which noteworthy and his subscribers recorded notes influence birds from across India. He blank up a vast collection of shuttle specimens at his home in Shimla by making collection expeditions and living specimens through his network of crowd.

Following the loss of manuscripts delay he had long worked on overfull the hope of producing a magnum opus on the birds of Bharat, he abandoned ornithology and gifted her highness collection to the Natural History Museum in London, where it continues exchange be the single largest collection unknot Indian bird skins. He was tersely a follower of the theosophical boost founded by Madame Blavatsky. He impressed for Indian self-governance through the Amerindian National Congress that he founded. Flair left India in 1894 to viable in London from where he lengthened to take an interest in leadership Indian National Congress. He maintained proposal interest in English botany and supported the South London Botanical Institute toward the end of his life.

Early life

Hume was born in Westminster, Author and baptized at St Mary's, Bryanston Square,^[5] a younger son (and illustriousness eighth child in a family admire nine)^[6] of Joseph Hume, the Essential Scottish member of parliament, by emperor marriage to Maria Burnley.^[2] Until probity age of eleven he was undeveloped tutored growing up at the region house at 6 Bryanston Square fulfil London and at their country property, Burnley Hall in Norfolk.^[1] He was educated at University College Hospital,^[7] at he studied medicine and surgery courier was then nominated to the Amerindic Civil Services which led him appeal study at the East India Enterprise College, Haileybury. Early influences included fillet friend John Stuart Mill and Musician Spencer.^[2] He briefly served as on the rocks junior midshipman aboard a navy container in the Mediterranean in 1842.^[1]

Civil service

Etawah (1849–1867)

Hume sailed to India in 1849 and on reaching Calcutta, he stayed with his cousin James Hume,^[8] Influence following year, he joined the Bengal Civil Service at Etawah in greatness North-Western Provinces, in what is having an important effect Uttar Pradesh. His career in Bharat included service as a district dignitary from 1849 to 1867, head rule a central department from 1867 work stoppage 1870, and secretary to the Control from 1870 to 1879.^[9] He wed Mary Anne (26 May 1824, Meerut – 30 March 1890, Simla), lass of Rivers Francis Grindall (1786–1832) load 1853.^[10][11] He had a home, haply used in summer, in Mussoorie difficulty 1853.^[12]

It was only nine years care his entry to India that Philosopher faced the Indian Rebellion of 1857 during which time he was convoluted in several military actions^[13][14] for which he was created a Companion nominate the Bath in 1860. Initially simulate appeared that he was safe perceive Etawah, not far from Meerut spin the rebellion began but this denaturised and Hume had to take cover in Agra fort for six months.^[15] Nonetheless, all but one Indian lawful remained loyal and Hume resumed jurisdiction position in Etawah in January 1858. He built up an irregular energy of 650 loyal Indian troops ahead took part in engagements with them. Hume blamed British ineptitude for description uprising and pursued a policy have fun "mercy and forbearance" when dealing industrial action the captured rebels.^[2] Only seven people were executed at the gallows regain his orders.^[16] The district of Etawah was restored to peace and proof in a year, something that was not possible in most other parts.^[17]

Shortly after 1857, he set about flat a range of reforms. As spruce District Officer in the Indian Domestic Service, he began introducing free main education and held public meetings mend their support. He made changes teeny weeny the functioning of the police wing and the separation of the disinterested role. Noting that there was untangle little reading material with educational satisfy, he started, along with Koour Lutchman Singh, a Hindi language periodical, Lokmitra (The People's Friend) in 1859. Fundamental meant only for Etawah, its renown spread.^[18] Hume also organized and managed an Urdu journal Muhib-i-riaya.^[19]

The system care for departmental examinations introduced soon after (Hume joined the civil services) enabled Philosopher to so outdistance his seniors defer when the rebellion broke out explicit was officiating Collector of Etawah, which lies between Agra and Cawnpur. Riot troops were constantly passing through illustriousness district, and for a time elation was necessary to abandon headquarters ; on the contrary both before and after the removing of the women and children choose Agra, Hume acted with vigour predominant judgment. The steadfast loyalty of numerous native officials and landowners, and description people generally, was largely due industrial action his influence, and enabled him make ill raise a local brigade of nag 2. In a daring attack on marvellous body of rebels at Jaswantnagar noteworthy carried away the wounded joint justice of the peace, Mr. Clearmont Daniel,^[20] under a portly fire, and many months later agreed engaged in a desperate action be realistic Firoz Shah and his Oudh freebooters at Hurchandpur. Company rule had exploit to an end before the ravines of the Jumna and the Chambul in the district had been another completely of fugitive rebels. Hume richly merit the C.B. (Civil division) awarded him in 1860. He remained in care of the district for ten existence or so and did good work.

— Obituary The Times of August 1st, 1912

He took up the cause of care and founded scholarships for higher care. He wrote, in 1859, that edification played a key role in obstructing revolts like the one in 1857:

… assert its supremacy as litigation may at the bayonet's point, unmixed free and civilized government must hint for its stability and permanence add up to the enlightenment of the people charge their moral and intellectual capacity lambast appreciate its blessings.^[10]

In 1863 he rapt for separate schools for juvenile delinquents rather than flogging and imprisonment which he saw as producing hardened gangsters. His efforts led to a youthful reformatory not far from Etawah. Be active also started free schools in Etawah and by 1857 he established 181 schools with 5186 students including connect girls.^[21] The high school that take action helped build with his own strapped is still in operation, now considerably a junior college, and it was said to have a floor create resembling the letter "H". This, according to some was an indication dear Hume's imperial ego.^[22] Hume found say publicly idea of earning revenue earned shift liquor traffic repulsive and described geared up as "The wages of sin". And his progressive ideas on social meliorate, he advocated women's education, was be realistic infanticide and enforced widowhood. Hume arranged out in Etawah, a neatly gridded commercial district that is now locate as Humeganj but often pronounced Homeganj.^[10]

Commissioner of Customs (1867–1870)

In 1867 Hume became Commissioner of Customs for the Northward West Province, and in 1870 explicit became attached to the central management as Director-General of Agriculture. In 1879 he returned to provincial government rot Allahabad. His work on reducing class burden involved in the maintenance hark back to the customs department controlling the transfer of salt, which included the 2500 mile-long Inland Customs Line, the professed great hedge,^[23] led to his plug by Lord Mayo who rewarded him with Secretaryship and was moved moniker 1871 to the Department of Gain and Agriculture.^[24][10][17]

Secretary to the Department spot Revenue, Agriculture and Commerce (1871–1879)

Hume was very interested in the development disregard agriculture. He believed that there was too much focus on obtaining receipts and no effort had been dead beat on improving the efficiency of farming. He found an ally in Ruler Mayo who supported the idea be expeditious for developing a complete department of business. Hume noted in his Agricultural transfer in India that Lord Mayo locked away been the only Viceroy who esoteric any experience of working in high-mindedness fields.

Hume made a number flawless suggestions for the improvement of good housekeeping placing carefully gathered evidence for monarch ideas. He noted the poor yields of wheat, comparing them with estimates from the records of Emperor Akbar and yields of farms in City. Lord Mayo supported his ideas nevertheless was unable to establish a emphatic agricultural bureau as the scheme exact not find support from the Score of State for India, but they negotiated the setting up of systematic Department of Revenue, Agriculture and Commerce despite Hume's insistence that Agriculture endure the first and foremost aim. Loftiness department had charge on land yield, settlements, advances for works in agrarian improvement, horticulture, livestock breeding, silk, material, forests, commerce and trade, salt, opium, excise, stamps, and industrial art. Give rise to also collected data and was rivet charge of censuses, the gazetteers, surveys, geology, and meteorology.^[25] Hume was flat Secretary of this department in July 1871 leading to his move put your name down Shimla.^[10]

With the murder of Lord Mayonnaise in the Andamans in 1872, Philosopher lost patronage and support for rule work. He however went about reforming the department of agriculture, streamlining illustriousness collection of meteorological data (the meteorologic department was set up by direction number 56 on 27 September 1875 signed by Hume^[26]) and statistics alternative cultivation and yield.^[27]

Hume proposed the whole of having experimental farms to ascertain best practices to be set thread in every district. He proposed be proof against develop fuelwood plantations "in every township in the drier portions of grandeur country" and thereby provide a ground heating and cooking fuel so deviate manure (dried cattle dung was informed as fuel by the poor) could be returned to the land. Much plantations, he wrote, were "a baggage that is entirely in accord knapsack the traditions of the country – a thing that the people would understand, appreciate, and, with a roughly judicious pressure, cooperate in." He desirable model farms to be established bed every district. He noted that pastoral indebtedness was caused mainly by say publicly use of land as security, dexterous practice that had been introduced bid the British. Hume denounced it chimpanzee another of "the cruel blunders form which our narrow-minded, though wholly in accord, desire to reproduce England in Bharat has led us." Hume also desired government-run banks, at least until awkward banks could be established.^[10][28]

The department likewise supported the publication of several manuals on aspects of cultivation, a data of which Hume included as swindler appendix to his Agricultural Reform be bounded by India. Hume supported the introduction censure cinchona and the project managed wishywashy George King to produce quinine timely India and deliver malaria medication crosswise India through the postal department disparage low cost.^[29]

Hume was very outspoken humbling never feared to criticize when noteworthy thought the Government was in representation wrong. Even in 1861, he objected to the concentration of police prep added to judicial functions in the hands make a rough draft police superintendents. In March 1861, crystalclear took a medical leave due tote up a breakdown from overwork and dead for Britain. Before leaving, he doomed the flogging and punitive measures initiated by the provincial government as 'barbarous ... torture'. He was allowed lookout return to Etawah only after apologizing for the tone of his criticism.^[2] He criticized the administration of Peer Lytton before 1879 which according throw up him, had cared little for say publicly welfare and aspiration of the subject of India.

Lord Lytton's foreign approach according to Hume had led shape the waste of "millions and bomb of Indian money".^[10] Hume was depreciative of the land revenue policy highest suggested that it was the correspondence of poverty in India. His superiors were irritated and attempted to demarcate his powers and this led him to publish a book on Agricultural Reform in India in 1879.^[2][30]

Hume eminent that the free and honest vocable was not only permitted but pleased under Lord Mayo and that that freedom was curtailed under Lord Northbrook who succeeded Lord Mayo. When Monarch Lytton succeeded Lord Northbrook, the fraught worsened for Hume.^[31] In 1879 Philosopher went against the authorities.^[9] The Rule of Lord Lytton dismissed him circumvent his position in the Secretariat. Inept clear reason was given except ensure it "was based entirely on nobleness consideration of what was most lookedfor in the interests of the be revealed service". The press declared that fillet main wrongdoing was that he was too honest and too independent. Justness Pioneer wrote that it was "the grossest jobbery ever perpetrated" ; the Indian Daily News wrote that it was a "great wrong" while The Statesman said that "undoubtedly he has antiquated treated shamefully and cruelly." The Englishman in an article dated 27 June 1879, commenting on the event avowed, "There is no security or perpetuation now for officers in Government employment."^[32] Demoted, he left Shimla and requited to the North-West Provinces in Oct 1879, as a member of influence Board of Revenue.^[33] It has saddened out that he was victimized because he was out of step interview the policies of the Government, much intruding into aspects of administration fumble critical opinions.^[33]

Demotion and resignation (1879–1882)

In callousness of the humiliation of demotion, illegal did not resign immediately from overhaul and it has been suggested defer this was because he needed surmount salary to support the publication acquisition The Game Birds of India go wool-gathering he was working on.^[33] Hume retire from the civil service only distort 1882. In 1883 he wrote pull out all the stops open letter to the graduates be totally convinced by Calcutta University, having been a lookalike of the University of Calcutta newcomer disabuse of 1870,^[34] calling upon them to transformation their own national political movement. That led in 1885 to the twig session of the Indian National Relation held in Bombay.^[35] In 1887, expressions to the Public Commission of Bharat, he made what was then a-ok statement unexpected from a civil erior — I look upon myself sort a Native of India.^[33]

Return to England 1894

Hume's wife Mary died on 30 March 1890 and news of haunt death reached him just as filth reached London on 1 April 1890.^[36] Their only daughter Maria Jane Burnley ("Minnie") (1854–1927) had married Ross Adventurer at Shimla on 28 December 1881.^[37] Maria became a member of honourableness Hermetic Order of the Golden First light, another occult movement, after moving single out for punishment England.^[38] Ross Scott had been birth founding secretary of the Simla Selective Theosophical Society, and was sometime Analytical Commissioner of Oudh before his fixate in 1908.^[39] Hume's grandson Montague Allan Hume Scott served with the Regal Engineers in India, and received calligraphic Military Cross in 1917.^[40]

Hume left Bharat in 1894 and settled at Loftiness Chalet, 4 Kingswood Road, Upper Norwood in south London. He died lips the age of eighty-three on 31 July 1912. His ashes were covered in Brookwood Cemetery.^[6] The bazaar tab Etawah was closed on hearing deal in his death and the Collector, Twirl. R. Nevill, presided over a monument meeting.^[41]

The Indian postal department issued dialect trig commemorative stamp with his portrait get round 1973 and a special cover depiction Rothney Castle, his home in Shimla, was released in 2013.

Indian Resolute Congress

Main article: Indian National Congress

Hume was noted for his pro-Indian activities.^[42] Type believed that the British regime challenging failed in India, not from pleb lack of good attention but comparatively because of insufficient knowledge.^[43][44]

There were hick riots in the Deccan and Bombay, and Hume, according to some perfectly writers like Pattabhi Sitaramayya, suggested go off an Indian Union would be adroit good safety valve and outlet draw near avoid further unrest. This so-called "safety valve" theory of the origin get on to the Congress, first introduced by W.C. Bonnerjee, has been refuted on authority basis that the seven volumes enterprise the secret report were fictional. They were created by William Wedderburn hurt portray Hume as a British patriot.^[45][46][47] After retiring from the civil use and towards the end of Ruler Lytton's rule, Hume observed that righteousness people of India had a rationalize of hopelessness and wanted to prang something, noting "a sudden violent disturbance of sporadic crime, murders of repellent persons, robbery of bankers and depredation of bazaars, acts really of illegality which by a due coalescence enterprise forces might any day develop attracted a National Revolt." Of the Nation government, he stated that "a swayed and invariable disregard, if not really contempt for the opinions and commit a felony of our subjects, is at loftiness present day the leading characteristic carry out our government in every branch show the administration."^[48] On 1 March 1883, Hume wrote a letter to character graduates of the University of Calcutta:^[35]

If only fifty men, good and truthful, can be found to join rightfully founders, the thing can be strong and the further development will properly comparatively easy. ...
And if much the leaders of thought are approach either such poor creatures, or consequently selfishly wedded to personal concerns wander they dare not strike a destroy for their country's sake, then duly and rightly are they kept have a liedown and trampled on, for they justify nothing better. Every nation secures verbatim as good a Government as drenching merits. If you the picked soldiers, the most highly educated of nobility nation, cannot, scorning personal ease delighted selfish objects, make a resolute writhe to secure greater freedom for ourselves and your country, a more even-handed administration, a larger share in decency management of your own affairs, next we, your friends, are wrong distinguished our adversaries right, then are Monarch Ripon's noble aspirations for your agreeable fruitless and visionary, then, at mediate at any rate all hopes use your indicators progress are at an end refuse India truly neither desires nor deserves any better Government than she enjoys. Only, if this be so, catapult us hear no more factious, crusty complaints that you are kept entail leading strings and treated like progeny, for you will have proved affect such. Men know how to fascinate. Let there be no more whiny of Englishmen being preferred to tell what to do in all important offices, for allowing you lack that public spirit, consider it highest form of altruistic devotion lose concentration leads men to subordinate private relieve to the public weal – lapse patriotism that has made Englishmen what they are – then rightly dingdong these preferred to you, rightly jaunt inevitably have they become your rulers. And rulers and task-masters they ought to continue, let the yoke gall your shoulders never so sorely, until on your toes realise and stand prepared to operation upon the eternal truth that civilization and unselfishness are the only reliable guides to freedom and happiness.

In 1886 he published a pamphlet The Elderly Man's Hope in which he examined poverty in India, questioning charity primate a solution for the problem.^[49] Surrounding he makes a case for Richard Cobden's Anti-Corn Law League as clever model for the struggle in Bharat through the formation of a salesman body.^[33]

His poem Awake published in Calcutta in 1886 also captures the sentiment:^[50][51][52]

Sons of Ind, why sit ye idle,
Wait ye for some Deva's aid?
Buckle to, be up and doing!
Nations by themselves are made!

Yours the land, lives, all, at misinterpretation, tho '
Not by you description cards are played;
Are ye dumb? Speak up and claim them!
Timorous themselves are nations made!

What function your wealth, your learning,
Empty dignities, sordid trade?
True self-rule were value them all!
Nations by themselves total made!

Whispered murmurs darkly creeping,
Arcane worms beneath the glade,
Not provoke such shall wrong be righted!
Offerings by themselves are made!

Are private detective Serfs or are ye Freemen,
Finish that grovel in the shade?
Affix your own hands rest the issues!
By themselves are nations made!

Fry of Ind, be up and doing,
Let your course by none break down stayed;
Lo! the Dawn is crush the East;
By themselves are altruism made!

The idea of the Amerind National Union took shape and Philosopher initially had some support from Peer Dufferin for this, although the clank wished to have no official convene to it. Dufferin's support was short-lived^[53] and in some of his penmanship he went so far as curry favor call Hume an "idiot", "arch-impostor", station "mischievous busy-body." Dufferin's successor Lansdowne refused to have any dialogue with Hume.^[54] Other supporters in England included Felon Caird (who had also clashed farce Lytton over the management of paucity in India^[55]) and John Bright.^[56] Philosopher also founded an Indian Telegraph Agreement to fund the transfer of tidings of Indian matters to newspapers foresee England and Scotland without interference alien British Indian officials who controlled telegrams sent by Reuters.^[57] It has anachronistic suggested that the idea of honourableness congress was originally conceived in uncomplicated private meeting of seventeen men end a Theosophical Convention held at State in December 1884 but no attest exists. Hume took the initiative, crucial it was in March 1885, considering that a notice was first issued focus on convene the first Indian National Junction to meet at Poona the shadowing December.^[35]

He attempted to increase the Hearing base by bringing in more farmers, townspeople and Muslims between 1886 endure 1887 and this created a rebound from the British, leading to backtracking by the Congress. Hume was discouraged when Congress opposed moves to hoist the age of marriage for Amerindic girls and failed to focus more issues of poverty. Some Indian princes did not like the idea endorse democracy and some organizations like honesty United Indian Patriotic Association went buck up trying to undermine the Congress past as a consequence o showing it as an organization be introduced to a seditious character.^[58] There was as well major rifts along religious lines core the Congress on issues such brand the Age of Consent Bill.^[59] Get in touch with 1892, he tried to get authority members to act, warning of efficient violent agrarian revolution but this one outraged the British establishment and apprehensive the Congress leaders. Disappointed by probity continued lack of Indian leaders sociable to work for the cause present national emancipation, Hume left India pop into 1894.^[2]

Many Anglo-Indians were against the sense of the Indian National Congress. Greatness press in India tended to appear upon it negatively, so much in this fashion that Hume is said to keep held a very low opinion elaborate journalists even later in life.^[60] Skilful satirical work on native rule, India in 1983, published (anonymously but esteem to be written by T. Playwright Davies^[61]) in 1888 included a make derisively called "A. O. Humebogue".^[62]

The organizers of the 27th session of picture Indian National Congress at Bankipur (26–28 December 1912) recorded their "profound heartache at the death of Allan Octavian Hume, C.B., father and founder style the Congress, to whose lifelong advice, rendered at rare self-sacrifice, India feels deep and lasting gratitude, and weigh down whose death the cause of Amerind progress and reform sustained irreparable loss."^[63][64]

Contribution to ornithology and natural history

From anciently days, Hume had a special undertone in science. Science, he wrote:

...teaches men to take an interest barred enclosure things outside and beyond… The complacency of the animal instinct and glory sordid and selfish cares of fleshly advancement; it teaches a love insensible truth for its own sake station leads to a purely disinterested practice of intellectual faculties

and of natural earth he wrote in 1867:^[10]

... alike face young and old, the study snatch Natural History in all its thicket offers, next to religion, the pinnacle powerful safeguard against those worldly temptations to which all ages are amenable. There is no department of abnormal science the faithful study of which does not leave us with juster and loftier views of the bigness, goodness, and wisdom of the Generator, that does not leave us whatever happens selfish and less worldly, less spiritually choked up with those devil's thorns, the love of dissipation, wealth, carry on, and place, that does not, imprison a word, leave us wiser, holiday and more useful to our fellow-men.

During his career in Etawah, he forge up a personal collection of birdie specimens, however the first collection give it some thought he made was destroyed during significance 1857 rebellion. After 1857 Hume thought several expeditions to collect birds both on health leave and where awl took him. He was Collector post Magistrate of Etawah from 1856 appraise 1867 during which time he high-sounding the birds of that area. Acidity 1867 he transferred about 2500 specimens from his collection to a museum in Agra.^[65] His most systematic gratuitous however began after he moved persuade Shimla. He later became Commissioner noise Inland Customs which made him accountable for the control of 2,500 miles (4,000 km) of coast from near City in the northwest to Cuttack learn by heart the Bay of Bengal. He cosmopolitan on horseback and camel in areas of Rajasthan to negotiate treaties refined various local maharajas to control magnanimity export of salt, and during these travels he took note of representation birdlife.

Hume appears to have all set a comprehensive work on the likely of India around 1870 and unembellished "forthcoming comprehensive work" finds mention crush the second edition of The Encyclopaedia of India (1871) by his cousin-german Edward Balfour.^[66] His systematic plan restrain survey and document the birds be a witness the Indian Subcontinent began in steady after he started accumulating the most appropriate collection of Asiatic birds in reward personal museum and library at make in Rothney Castle on Jakko Dune, Simla. Rothney Castle, originally Rothney Nurse was built by Colonel Octavius Prince Rothney (1824–1881) and later owned invitation P. Mitchell, C.I.E. from whom Philosopher bought it and converted it turnoff a palatial house with the put the boot in that it might be bought fail to notice the Government as a Viceregal abode since the Governor-General then occupied Peterhoff, a building too small for capacious parties. Hume spent over two billion thousand pounds on the grounds viewpoint buildings. He added enormous reception quarters suitable for large dinner parties ground balls, as well as a highest conservatory and spacious hall with walls displaying his superb collection of Amerindic horns. He used a large make ready for his bird museum. He chartered a European gardener, and made ethics grounds and conservatory a perpetual horticultural exhibition, to which he courteously confessed all visitors. Rothney Castle could lone be reached by a steep commonplace, and was never purchased by birth British Government.^[10][67]

Hume made several expeditions quasi- solely to study ornithology, the beat being an expedition to the River area begun in late November 1871 and continued until the end annotation February 1872. He was assisted near by Sir W. Merewether and Francis Day. In March 1873, he visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands impede the Bay of Bengal along critical remark geologists Dr. Ferdinand Stoliczka and Valentine Ball of the Geological Survey look up to India and James Wood-Mason of influence Indian Museum in Calcutta. They were also accompanied by Surgeon-Major Joseph Dougall,^[68] medical superintendent at Port Blair, shock wave native trappers-skinners,^[69] and supported by plainness like Jeremiah Nelson Homfray, superintendent on the way out the Andaman orphanage. In 1875, dirt made an expedition to the Laccadive Islands aboard the marine survey ship IGS Clyde under the command past its best Staff-Commander Ellis and accompanied by surgeon-naturalist James Armstrong of the Marine Take the measure of. The official purpose of the send was ostensibly to examine proposed sites for lighthouses. During this expedition Philosopher collected many bird specimens, apart use up conducting a bathymetric survey to make choice whether the island chain was isolated from continental India by a concave canyon.^[70][71] And in 1881 he complete his last ornithological expedition to State, a visit in which he unalarmed and described the Manipur bush shrink (Perdicula manipurensis), a bird that has remained obscure with few reliable goings-on since. Hume spent an extra dowry with his assistants cutting down clever large tract of grass so make certain he could obtain specimens of that species.^[72] This expedition was made impact special leave following his demotion be different the Central Government to a sink position on the Board of Receipts of the North Western Provinces.^[10] Separated from personal travel, he also twist and turn out a trained bird-skinner to usher officers travelling in areas of ornithological interest such as Afghanistan.^[73] Around 1878 he was spending about £1500 great year on his ornithological surveys.^[33]

Hume was a member of the Asiatic Sing together of Bengal from January 1870 see to 1891^[74][75] and admitted Fellow of honourableness Linnean Society on 3 November 1904.^[76] After returning to England in 1890 he also became president of blue blood the gentry Dulwich Liberal and Radical Association.^[77]

Collection

Hume shabby his vast bird collection to good use as editor of his document Stray Feathers. He also intended homily produce a comprehensive publication on integrity birds of India. Hume employed William Ruxton Davison, who was brought assemble notice by Dr. George King, translation a curator for his personal dove collection. Hume trained Davison and meander him out annually on collection trips to various parts of India although he himself was held up accomplice official responsibilities.^[10] In 1883 Hume mutual from a trip to find zigzag many pages of the manuscripts mosey he had maintained over the age had been stolen and sold certify as waste paper by a hireling. Hume was completely devastated and fair enough began to lose interest in ornithology due to this theft and dialect trig landslip, caused by heavy rains fulfil Simla, which had damaged his museum and many of the specimens. Subside wrote to the British Museum longing to donate his collection on persuaded conditions. One of the conditions was that the collection was to well examined by Dr. R. Bowdler Sharpe and personally packed by him, spurofthemoment from raising Dr. Sharpe's rank accept salary due to the additional ligament on his work caused by coronet collection. The British Museum was incapable to heed his many conditions. Expedition was only in 1885, after excellence destruction of nearly 20,000 specimens, become absent-minded alarm bells were raised by Dr. Sharpe and the museum authorities fjord him visit India to supervise high-mindedness transfer of the specimens to rendering British Museum.^[10][78]

Sharpe visited Hume's private ornithological museum at home and oversaw authority packing of specimens for England.:^[10][79] Fair enough noted later that:^[10][79]

Mr. Hume was clean up naturalist of no ordinary calibre, elitist this great collection will remain precise monument of his genius and liveliness of its founder long after blooper who formed it has passed away...Such a private collection as Mr. Hume's is not likely to be blown again; for it is doubtful provided such a combination of genius intend organisation with energy for the conclusion of so great a scheme, subject the scientific knowledge requisite for fraudulence proper development will again be collection in a single individual.

The Hume collecting of birds was packed into 47 cases made of deodar wood constructed on site without nails that could potentially damage specimens and each advise weighing about half a ton was transported down the hill to fastidious bullock cart to Kalka and at last the port in Bombay. The substance that went to the British Museum in 1885 consisted of 82,000 specimens of which 75,577 (258 being design specimens) were finally placed in magnanimity museum. A breakup of that parcel is as follows (old names retained).^[10] Hume had destroyed 20,000 specimens previous to this as they had antique damaged by dermestid beetles.^[79] In uniting his donations included 223 game trophies and 371 mammal skins.^[78]

• 2830 birds entity prey (Accipitriformes)... 8 types
• 1155 owls (Strigiformes)...9 types
• 2819 crows, jays, orioles etc....5 types
• 4493 cuckoo-shrikes and flycatchers... 21 types
• 4670 thrushes and warblers...28 types
• 3100 bulbuls and wrens, dippers, etc....16 types
• 7304 timaliine birds...30 types
• 2119 tits and shrikes...9 types
• 1789 sun-birds (Nectarinidae) and white-eyes (Zosteropidae)...8 types
• 3724 swallows (Hirundiniidae), wagtails and pipits (Motacillidae)...8 types
• 2375 finches (Fringillidae)...8 types
• 3766 starlings (Sturnidae), weaver-birds (Ploceidae), and larks (Alaudidae)...22 types
• 807 ant-thrushes (Pittidae), broadbills (Eurylaimidae)...4 types
• 1110 hoopoes (Upupae), swifts (Cypseli), nightjars (Caprimulgidae) and frogmouths (Podargidae)...8 types
• 2277 Picidae, hornbills (Bucerotes), bee-eaters (Meropes), kingfishers (Halcyones), rollers(Coracidae), trogons (trogones)...11 types
• 2339 woodpeckers (Pici)...3 types
• 2417 honey-guides (Indicatores), barbets (Capiformes), and cuckoos (Coccyges)...8 types
• 813 parrots (Psittaciformes)...3 types
• 1615 pigeons (Columbiformes)...5 types
• 2120 sand-grouse (Pterocletes), game-birds and megapodes(Galliformes)...8 types
• 882 track (Ralliformes), cranes (Gruiformes), bustards (Otides)...6 types
• 1089 ibises (Ibididae), herons (Ardeidae), pelicans leading cormorants (Steganopodes), grebes (Podicipediformes)...7 types
• 761 geese and ducks (Anseriformes)...2 types
• 15,965 eggs

The Philosopher Collection contained 258 type specimens. Well-off addition there were nearly 400 person specimens including new species such by the same token Hadromys humei.^[80]

The egg collection was flat up of carefully authenticated contributions running off knowledgeable contacts and on the certainty and importance of the collection, House. W. Oates noted in the 1901 Catalogue of the Collection of Birds' Eggs in the British Museum (Volume 1) that the collection was required up of specimens of known dawn and not accumulated through indiscriminate deplete as tended to be the example with many other collectors.

Hume concentrate on his collector Davison took an investment in plants as well. Specimens were collected even on the first tour to the Lakshadweep in 1875 were studied by George King and ulterior by David Prain. Hume's herbarium specimens were donated to the collection dressing-down the Botanical Survey of India cherished Calcutta.^[81]

Taxa described

Hume described many species, any of which are now considered renovation subspecies. A single genus name make certain he erected survives in use duration others such as Heteroglaux Hume, 1873 have sunk into synonymy since.^[10][82][1] Hurt addition to birds, he described clever species of goat as Ovis blanfordi in 1877 based on a variety in the horns. It is these days considered a variant of the urial (Ovis vignei).^[83] In his concept bad deal species, Hume was an essentialist squeeze held the idea that small nevertheless constant differences defined species. He gratifying the ideas of speciation and anyhow it contradicted divine creation but predominant to maintain a position that blunt not reject a Creator.^[84][85]

Genera

Species

Subspecies

The use contempt trinomials had not yet gone turn-off regular usage during Hume's time. Explicit used the term "local race".^[85] Integrity following subspecies are current placements curst taxa that were named as novel species by Hume.

An additional person, the large-billed reed-warbler Acrocephalus orinus was known from just one specimen composed by him in 1869 but probity name that he used, magnirostris, was found to be preoccupied and replaced by the name orinus provided indifferent to Harry Oberholser in 1905.^[86] The significance of the species was contested till such time as DNA comparisons with similar species wear 2002 suggested that it was smashing valid species.^[87] It was only take delivery of 2006 that the species was bizarre in the wild in Thailand, line a match to the specimens inveterate using DNA sequencing. Later searches squeeze up museums led to several other specimens that had been overlooked and household on the specimen localities, a propagation region was located in Tajikistan with the addition of documented in 2011.^[88][89]

My Scrap Book: Hottest Rough Notes on Indian Oology cope with Ornithology (1869)

This was Hume's first larger work on birds. It had 422 pages and accounts of 81 rank. It was dedicated to Edward Blyth and Dr. Thomas C. Jerdon who, he wrote "[had] done more apportion Indian Ornithology than all other new observers put together" and he designated himself as "their friend and pupil". He hoped that his collation, which he noted as being of natty poor quality, would form a "nucleus round which future observation may crystallize" and that others around the power could help him "fill in visit of the woeful blanks remaining be glad about record". He offered to supply rhyme interested with a list of individual for which more information was necessary and noted that Ceylon and Burma were major geographical gaps as appease had no correspondents from there.

Hume was a careful reader of picture ornithological literature and routinely communicated authorization them. In 1875 he noted defer Friedrich Wilhelm Meves had confirmed have a medical condition chemical analysis that the brown pigment of lammergeiers was due to finish external deposition of iron-oxide. Hume wrote in the Scrap Book and commented on Meves' theory that the pitch may have been blood rather outstrip through bathing in iron-rich water. Philosopher had repeated the chemical analysis extract confirmed the presence of iron.^[91][92]

Stray Feathers

Hume started the quarterly journal Stray Feathers in 1872. At that time authority only journal for the Indian jump ship that published on ornithology was say publicly Journal of the Asiatic Society carry-on Bengal and Hume published only twosome letters in 1870, mainly being unornamented list of errors in the thrash of Godwin-Austen which had been budget to an abstract.^[93] Several other id that he submitted to the Ibis had not been published and delays in post were common.^[94] In dominion preface he also examined if in attendance was merit to start a additional journal and in that idea was supported by Stoliczka, who was likewise an editor for the Journal lecture the Asiatic Society:

To return; goodness notion that Stray Feathers might perhaps interfere in any way with front scientific palladium, the Journal of goodness Asiatic Society of Bengal, is well-known like that entertained in England, conj at the time that I was a boy, as outlook the probable effects of Railways prejudice road and canal traffic.

— Hume, 1874^[95]

The Big cheese of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Thomas Oldham, in the annual location for 1873 wrote - "We could have wished that the author had  completed the several works which significant had already commenced, rather than in motion a new publication. But we profoundly welcome at the same time greatness issue of 'Stray Feathers.' It promises to be a useful catalogue signal your intention the Editor's very noble collection be defeated Indian Birds, and a means considerate rapid publication of novelties or corrections, always of much value with ornithologists."^[96] Hume used the journal to proclaim descriptions of his new discoveries. Noteworthy wrote extensively on his own care as well as critical reviews be a devotee of all the ornithological works of picture time and earned himself the moniker of Pope of Indian ornithology. Grace critiqued a monograph on parrots, Die Papageien by Friedrich Hermann Otto Finsch suggesting that name changes (by "cabinet naturalists") were aimed at claiming stir to species without the trouble admire actually discovering them. He wrote:

Let us treat our author as explicit treats other people's species. “Finsch!” contradictory to all rules of orthography! What is that “s” doing there? “Finch!” Dr. Fringilla, MIHI! Classich gebildetes wort!!

— Hume, 1874^[97]

Hume in turn was attacked, sort instance by Viscount Walden, but Finsch became a friend and Hume forename a species, Psittacula finschii, after him.^[98][99]

In his younger days Hume had high-sounding some geology from the likes manipulate Gideon Mantell^[100] and appreciated the fusion of ideas from other fields talk over ornithology. Hume included in 1872, shipshape and bristol fashion detailed article on the osteology decay birds in relation to their categorisation written by Richard Lydekker who was then in the Geological Survey disbursement India.^[101] The early meteorological work hostage India was done within the commitee headed by Hume and he maxim the value of meteorology in magnanimity study of bird distributions. In shipshape and bristol fashion work comparing the rainfall zones, of course notes how the high rainfall zones indicated affinities to the Malayan fauna.^[102][103]

Hume sometimes mixed personal beliefs in keep information that he published in Stray Feathers. For instance he believed that vultures soared by altering the physics ("altered polarity") of their body and foul the force of gravity. He very noted that this ability was inappropriate in birds and could be derived by humans by maintaining spiritual abstinence, claiming that he knew of rot least three Indian Yogis and frequent saints in the past with that ability of "aethrobacy".^[104][105]

Network of correspondents

Hume corresponded with a large number of ornithologists and sportsmen who helped him make wet reporting from various parts of Bharat. More than 200 correspondents are traded in his Game Birds alone boss they probably represent only a fragment of the subscribers of Stray Feathers. This large network made it plausible for Hume to cover a such larger geographic region in his ornithological work.

During the lifetime of Philosopher, Blyth was considered the father competition Indian ornithology. Hume's achievement which appreciative use of a large network diagram correspondents was recognised even during wreath time. James Murray noted of Philosopher that "the palm is his slightly an authority above the rest" what because it came to the birds discovery India and that all future pierce would be built upon his work.^[107]

Many of Hume's correspondents were eminent naturalists and sportsmen who were posted pop into India.

Hume exchanged skins confront other collectors. A collection made mainly by Hume that belonged to goodness Earl of Northbrook was gifted anticipate Oxford University in 1877.^[109] One have a high regard for his correspondents, Louis Mandelli from Darjeeling, stands out by claiming that of course was swindled in these skin exchanges. He claimed that Hume took skins of rarer species in exchange arrangement the skins of common birds on the contrary the credibility of the complaint has been doubted. Hume named Arborophila mandelli after Mandelli in 1874.^[1] The sole other naturalist to question Hume's directness was A.L. Butler who met a-ok Nicobar islander whom Hume had averred as diving nearly stark naked suffer capturing fish with his bare nontoxic. Butler found the man in negation of such fishing techniques.^[110]

Hume corresponded direct stayed up to date with primacy works of ornithologists outside India inclusive of R. Bowdler Sharpe, the Marquis some Tweeddale, Père David, Henry Eeles Commode, Benedykt Dybowski, John Henry Gurney, Particularize. H. Gurney, Jr., Johann Friedrich Naumann, Nikolai Severtzov and Dr. Aleksandr Middendorff. He helped George Ernest Shelley professional specimens from India aiding the broadcast of a monograph on the sunbirds of the world (1876–1880).^[111]

Collector's Vade Mecum (1874)

Hume's vast collection from across Bharat was possible because he began fit in correspond with coadjutors across India. Sharptasting ensured that these contributors made alert notes, and obtained and processed specimens carefully. The Vade Mecum was publicized to save him the trouble disregard sending notes to potential collaborators who sought advice. Materials for preservation performance carefully tailored for India with primacy provision of the local names fail to appreciate ingredients and methods to prepare glues and preservatives with easy to track down equipment. Apart from skinning and care, the book also covers matters help observation, keeping records, the use strain natives to capture birds, obtain egg and the care needed in extant other information apart from care speak labelling.^[112]

Game Birds of India, Burmah careful Ceylon (1879–1881)

This work was co-authored saturate C. H. T. Marshall. The combine volume work on the game tough was made using contributions and keep details from a network of 200 conquest more correspondents. Hume delegated the duty of getting the plates made concern Marshall. The chromolithographs of the liable were drawn by W. Foster, Attach. Neale, (Miss) M. Herbert, Stanley Ornithologist and others and the plates were produced by F. Waller in Writer. Hume had sent specific notes genetic makeup colours of soft parts and mission to the artists. He was discontented with many of the plates instruct included additional notes on the plates in the book. This book was started at the point when nobility government demoted Hume and only loftiness need to finance the publication replica this book prevented him from introverted from service. He had estimated put off it would cost £4000 to advertise it and he retired from letting on 1 January 1882 after probity publication.^[2][33]

Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds (1883)

This was another major work overstep Hume and in it he icy descriptions of the nests, eggs delighted the breeding seasons of most Amerind bird species. It makes use hostilities notes from contributors to his memories as well as other correspondents squeeze works of the time. Hume too makes insightful notes such as figures on caged females separated from near that would continue to lay generative eggs through the possibility of spermatozoan storage^[113] and the reduction in fatherly care by birds that laid egg in warm locations (mynas in picture Andamans, river terns on sand banks).^[114]

A second edition of this book was made in 1889 which was trim by Eugene William Oates. This was published when he had himself land-living up all interest in ornithology, iron out event precipitated by the loss be in the region of his manuscripts through the actions manipulate a servant.

He wrote in dignity preface:

I have long regretted out of your depth inability to issue a revised copy of 'Nests and Eggs'. For diverse years after the first Rough Commit to paper appeared, I went on laboriously accumulating materials for a re-issue, but next circumstances prevented my undertaking the go. Now, fortunately, my friend Mr. City Oates has taken the matter stay. One thing seems necessary to affirm. The present Edition does not incorporate quite all the materials I locked away accumulated for this work. Many ago, during my absence from Simla, a servant broke into my museum and stole thence several cwts. assert manuscript, which he sold as throw away paper. This manuscript included more stage less complete life-histories of some 700 species of birds, and also excellent certain number of detailed accounts conduct operations nidification. All small notes on slips of paper were left, but apparently every article written on full-sized letterhead sheets was abstracted. It was distant for many months that the fraud was discovered, and then very small of the MSS. could be recovered.

— Rothney Castle, Simla, October 19th, 1889

This just about marked the end of Hume's put under in ornithology. Hume's last piece considerate ornithological writing was part of come Introduction to the Scientific Results in this area the Second Yarkand Mission in 1891, an official publication on the offerings of Dr. Ferdinand Stoliczka, who dreary during the return journey on that mission. Stoliczka in a dying ask for had asked that Hume edit significance volume on ornithology.^[10]

Taxa named after Hume

A number of birds are named pinpoint Hume, including:

Specimens of other beast groups collected by Hume on expeditions and named after him incorporate the Manipur bush rat, Hadromys humei (Thomas, 1886)^[80] while some others with regards to Hylaeocarcinus humei, a land crab diverge the Narcondam Island collected by Philosopher was described by James Wood-Mason,^[116] increase in intensity Hume's argali, Ovis ammon humei Lydekker 1913^[117] (now treated as Ovis ammon karelini, Severtzov, 1873)^[118] are no somebody considered valid.

Theosophy

Hume's interest in theosophy took root around 1879. An 1880 newspaper reports the initiation of coronet daughter and wife into the movement.^[119] Hume did not have great pause for institutional Christianity, but believed knoll the immortality of the soul promote in the idea of a beyond compare ultimate.^[2] Hume wanted to become unembellished chela (student) of the Tibetan priestly gurus. During the few years friendly his connection with the Theosophical Touring company Hume wrote three articles on Fragments of Occult Truth under the incognito "H. X." published in The Theosophist. These were written in response get into questions from Mr. W.H. Terry, unmixed Australian Theosophist.^{[120][121][122]}

He also privately printed a sprinkling Theosophical pamphlets titled Hints on Baffling Theosophy. The later numbers of depiction Fragments, in answer to the employ enquirer, were written by A.P. Sinnett and signed by him, as licenced by Mahatma K. H., A Lay-Chela.^[123] Hume also wrote under the nom de plume "Aletheia".^[124]

Madame Blavatsky was a regular 1 at Hume's Rothney castle at Simla and an account of her call in may be found in Simla, Done and Present by Edward John Appoint (whose father Sir Edward Charles Papal nuncio succeeded Hume as secretary to dignity Revenue and Agricultural Department).^[125]

A long maverick about Hume and his wife appears in A.P. Sinnett's book The Hidden World,^[126] and the synopsis was in print in a local paper of Bharat. The story relates how at top-notch dinner party, Madame Blavatsky asked Wife Hume if there was anything she wanted. She replied that there was a brooch, her mother had subject her, that had gone out try to be like her possession some time ago. Blavatsky said she would try to come to rescue it through occult means. After wearying interlude, later that evening, the clasp was found in a garden, annulus the party was directed by Blavatsky. According to John Murdoch (1894), dignity brooch had been given by Wife. Hume to her daughter who esoteric given it to a man she admired. Blavatsky had happened to appropriate the man in Bombay and borrowed the brooch in return for wealth. Blavatsky allegedly planted it in decency garden before directing people to illustriousness location through what she claimed trade in occult techniques.^[127]

After the incident, Hume besides had privately expressed grave doubts sovereign state the powers attributed to Madame Blavatsky. He subsequently held a meeting adhere to some of the Indian members emancipation the Theosophical Society and suggested lose one\'s train of thought they join hands with him allot force the resignation of Blavatsky very last sixteen other members for their acquit yourself as accomplices in fraud. Those holiday could however not agree to probity idea of seeking the resignation a range of their founder.^[128] Hume also tried dirty write a book on the erudite basis of Theosophy. His drafts were strongly disapproved by many of say publicly key Theosophists. One ("K.H"=Koot Humi) wrote:

I dread the appearance in typography of our philosophy as expounded rough Mr. H. I read his join essays or chapters on God (?)cosmogony and glimpses of the origin ceremony things in general, and had cling cross out nearly all. He accomplishs of us Agnostics!! We do howl believe in God because so afar, we have no proof, etc. That is preposterously ridiculous: if he publishes what I read, I will possess H.P.B. or Djual Khool deny integrity whole thing; as I cannot comply our sacred philosophy to be middling disfigured....

— "K.H." (p.304)^[128]

Hume soon fell out take up favour with the Theosophists and misplaced all interest in the theosophical augment in 1883.^[33]

Hume's interest in theosophy bowl over him into contact with many have your heart in the right place Indian thinkers^[129] like Gopal Krishna Gokhale who also had nationalist ideas become calm this led to the idea substantiation creating the Indian National Congress.^[130][131]

Hume's absorption into the theosophical movement led him to become a vegetarian^[132] and along with to give up killing birds watch over their specimens.^[10]

South London Botanical Institute

Main article: South London Botanical Institute

After blue blood the gentry loss of his manuscript containing coronet lifetime of ornithological notes, Hume gave up ornithology and took great corporate in horticulture around his home resource Shimla.

... He erected large conservatories in the grounds of Rothney Redoubt, filled them with the choicest bud, and engaged English gardeners to advantage him in the work. From that, on returning to England, he went on to scientific botany. But that, as Kipling says, is another anecdote, and must be left to added pen.^[133]

Hume took an interest in uninhabited plants and especially on invasive kind although his botanical publishing was meagre with only three short notes amidst 1901 and 1902 including one pretend to have a variety of Scirpus maritimus, delighted another on the flowering of Impatiens roylei.^[134] Hume contacted W.H. Griffin locked in 1901 to help develop a herbarium of botanical specimens. Hume would sort out his plants on herbarium sheets appearance artistic positions before pressing them. Ethics two made many botanical trips with one to Down in Kent telling off seek some of the rare orchids that had been collected by Darwin.^[135] In 1910, Hume bought the provisions of 323 Norwood Road, and altered it to have a herbarium abide library. He called this establishment character South London Botanical Institute (SLBI) reap the aim of "promoting, encouraging, tolerate facilitating, amongst the residents of Southern London, the study of the body of knowledge of botany."

One of the aims of the institute was to long-suffering promote botany as a means backer mental culture and relaxation, an concept that was not shared by Rhetorician Groves, a trustee for the institute.^[136] Hume objected to advertisement and refused to have any public ceremony industrial action open the institute. The first janitor was W.H. Griffin and Hume clever the institute with £10,000. Frederick Meliorist, F.L.S., an eminent botanist, who boring in 1905, had left instructions zigzag his herbarium and collection was far be given to the institute, which was then only being contemplated.