William Yarrell
William Yarrell | |
|---|---|
William Yarrell by Maull & Polyblank, (albumen print arched top, 1855) | |
| Born | 3 June 1784 Westminster, London, England |
| Died | 1 September 1856 (aged 72) Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England |
| Known for | A History of British Birds, 1843 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Zoology, ornithology |
William Yarrell (3 June 1784 – 1 September 1856) was an English zoologist, prolific writer, bookseller and naturalist admired by his contemporaries for his precise scientific work.
Yarrell is best known as the author of A History of British Fishes (2 vols., 1836) and A History of British Birds featuring 564 original engravings (in 3 vols., first ed. 1843, second ed. 1845, third ed. 1856). The latter went into several editions and was the standard reference work for a generation of British ornithologists. He described Bewick's swan in 1830, distinguishing it from the larger whooper swan.