Papers by Henry A . McGhie
Climate change management, 2018
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Manchester University Press eBooks, Dec 12, 2017
This chapter discusses Dresser’s legacies and explores why he and his contemporaries fell from si... more This chapter discusses Dresser’s legacies and explores why he and his contemporaries fell from sight, as scientific ornithology shifted from a collection-based discipline to a hypothesis-driven system. It explores the rise—and fall—of specimen collecting on a near-industrial level. It suggests that Dresser was sidelined as a result of post-imperialist views, anti-collecting and anti-individualism as a kind of ‘anti-Victorianism’, in the style of Lytton Strachey’s Eminent Victorians. The chapter includes a tailpiece of Richard Meinertzhagen’s ‘reminiscences’ of Dresser (possibly fraudulent as Meinertzhagen has been shown to be an inventor of many stories). The book concludes with commentary on the relationship between ornithology and business, and on how Dresser and his contemporaries worked hard to produce reliable information, which served as the basis for further work. It concludes by exploring how Henry’s collections continue to be used today in new ways and for new uses.
Archives of Natural History, Apr 1, 2018
People and nature, Jul 18, 2023
Manchester University Press eBooks, Nov 20, 2017
Manchester University Press eBooks, Nov 20, 2017
Manchester University Press eBooks, Dec 12, 2017
This chapter explores the 1880s as a time when standards were set in ornithology, in terms of sci... more This chapter explores the 1880s as a time when standards were set in ornithology, in terms of scientific practices of naming and drawing up agreed lists of accepted records of rare birds visiting Britain. Dresser was a key figure in this, at a time when a number of self-proclaimed authorities disputed evidence and practices. Dresser was involved in various arguments over scientific naming practices with American ornithologists, which would run for many years. His relationship with Henry Seebohm, an English collector with whom he had previously been on good terms, deteriorates as Seebohm set out to deinstall Dresser as the leading commentator on the birds of Europe and Siberia. The British Museum (Natural History) continued to develop its leading importance as a scientific research institution, attracting support from many of Dresser’s contemporaries and acquiring their collections. Dresser remained separated from the museum.
This paper sets out some reflections on the ways in which museums can approach climate change eng... more This paper sets out some reflections on the ways in which museums can approach climate change engagement, based on recent experiences of the re-design of a permanent natural history gallery and a climate change focused exhibition at the Manchester Museum, part of the University of Manchester (Manchester, UK). It emphasises the importance of engaging with people in affective and behavioural (personal action) terms, rather than focussing solely on climate change information. It also emphasises the importance of providing people with opportunities to express their ideas, values and concerns, promoting critical thinking, civic discourse and climate change action. Through providing such opportunities, museums could provide more effective service to society, supporting and enabling positive action directed towards climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Manchester University Press eBooks, Dec 12, 2017
This chapter explores the activities of the collectors who contributed birds and eggs to Dresser’... more This chapter explores the activities of the collectors who contributed birds and eggs to Dresser’s collection from China, Japan, Central and South Asia, and Africa. In spite of the vastness of the area covered, collectors who were active in these areas shared much in common as most were involved in the machinery of empire and colonialism in one way or another, whether as part of formal empire as paid ‘professional’ naturalists or geographers, or informally as private travellers or colonialists. The chapter takes some key figures to give particularly detailed outlines of the activities of collectors in non-western settings, notably Robert Swinhoe in China, Russian explorers in Central Asia and British naturalists involved in the Great Game era. Particular emphasis is given to those collectors whose activities are less well known.
Manchester University Press eBooks, Dec 12, 2017
This chapter introduces the ‘History of the Birds of Europe’, a great book project initiated by R... more This chapter introduces the ‘History of the Birds of Europe’, a great book project initiated by Richard Bowdler Sharpe, in partnership with Dresser. The chapter discusses scientific travellers and fieldwork, and the growth of formal and informal scientific travel through the nineteenth century. It describes the collecting manuals and instructions for collectors that were issued to encourage collectors to produce good-quality specimens that could enter into exchanging networks and museum collections. The chapter explores Dresser’s collecting network by discussing the activities of those who provided him with specimens from Europe, Northern Asia, North America and the Arctic. It emphasises and explores his personal relationships with field collectors.
Manchester University Press eBooks, Dec 12, 2017
This chapter explores Dresser’s life through the 1860s, following his return to England from Mexi... more This chapter explores Dresser’s life through the 1860s, following his return to England from Mexico and Texas. His father had been bankrupted by the American Civil War, so Dresser had to take over as head the family, as the eldest son. This was a chaotic period when Dresser considered leaving London to live abroad. Ultimately, he settled into business and became extremely successful. He worked as a leading iron-trading merchant, a line of work he remained in for over forty years. This set the background and context for all of his natural history work, which forms the subject of subsequent chapters. The chapter includes details of his business travels throughout Europe during the 1860s, mixing business and ornithology.
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A-molecular & Integrative Physiology, Jun 1, 2009
Animal performance during critical behaviours such as predatorescape, prey-capture and fighting a... more Animal performance during critical behaviours such as predatorescape, prey-capture and fighting ability is determined by a complex assortment of underlying traits. Maximal physical capacity is widely appreciated to be an important determinant of performance during these complex behaviours. However, the role of individual skill in determining performance is virtually unknown and its role in the evolution of physical function has been surprisingly dismissed. Skill is likely to be a key determinant of performance for many complex behavioural traits. For example, male fighting capacity is likely to be determined by more than just strength alone, but also fighting technique, coordination, and decision-making. Given the difficulties associated with assessing skill in non-human organisms, we used analyses of human performance to investigate the possible interactions and trade-offs between skill and athletic ability. Performance of individuals during staged one-on-one football games was used as our model complex performance trait. Footballing ability was assessed for 30 subjects (aged 17-31 years) and their performance in 16 different athletic and skills tasks was also quantified. We competed ten different models that evaluated the relationships between individual morphology, athleticism and skill to overall footballing performance. We found that most maximal athletic tasks were positively correlated, as were many skill component tasks. However, there was no evidence of any positive or negative correlations between maximal athletic performance and skill, suggesting that these traits may be completely independent and under different selective pressures or even under separate genetic control. Implications of this work for the evolution of vertebrate physical performance will be discussed.
Archives of Natural History, Oct 1, 2009
Climate change management, Oct 3, 2018
Climate change engagement presents a number of challenges to museums, which tend to be most comfo... more Climate change engagement presents a number of challenges to museums, which tend to be most comfortable in dealing with the topics in which they are expert, and focus on presenting information. This chapter will explore some of the challenges and ‘letting go’ that could help museums reposition themselves to engage people more constructively with climate change and related issues, to embrace a more future-focused frame, and to focus more effectively on the connection between thinking–feeling–doing, and on inspiration, in order to encourage, inspire and realize positive futures. More generally, it will explore how museums could work to develop a more positive and inclusive vision of the future, as an alternative, rather than an antidote, to that presented in mass media, and to work with people at local and global levels to create and enact that narrative. The chapter proposes a set of 15 ‘shoulds’ for museums, to help global museums of any scale or subject to support climate action constructively.
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Dec 1, 2020
La lutte contre le changement climatique exige une créativité radicale et de nouvelles formes de ... more La lutte contre le changement climatique exige une créativité radicale et de nouvelles formes de relations, d'institutions et de pratiques. Reimagining Museums for Climate Action a été lancé le 18 mai 2020, à l'occasion de la Journée internationale des musées 2020, sous la forme d'un concours international d'idées et de design visant à (re)imaginer et à (re)concevoir radicalement l'institution muséale, afin de contribuer à un avenir plus équitable et plus durable à l'ère du changement climatique. Le concours a suscité un intérêt considérable, avec 264 contributions de 48 pays. Huit lauréats ont reçu chacun 2 500 £ pour transformer leurs idées en expositions qui seront présentées au Centre scientifique de Glasgow avant et pendant la COP26. L'exposition présente également un large éventail d'idées parmi les soumissions, visant à fournir au secteur des musées et à la société une source d'innovation et d'inspiration pour atteindre les objectifs de la Convention-cadre sur les changements climatiques et de l'Accord de Paris.
Boydell & Brewer eBooks, Nov 15, 2019
This comprehensive handbook provides a unique overview of the theory, methodologies and best prac... more This comprehensive handbook provides a unique overview of the theory, methodologies and best practices in climate change communication from around the world. It fosters the exchange of information, ideas and experience gained in the execution of successful projects and initiatives, and discusses novel methodological approaches aimed at promoting a better understanding of climate change adaptation. Addressing a gap in the literature on climate change communication and pursuing an integrated approach, the handbook documents and disseminates the wealth of experience currently available in this field. Volume 2 of the handbook discusses novel methodological approaches aimed at promoting a better understanding of climate change adaptation and exemplifies initiatives and best practices in climate change communication from around the world.
Manchester University Press eBooks, Dec 12, 2017
This chapter reveals how ornithology had become divided into factions, with Dresser occupying a d... more This chapter reveals how ornithology had become divided into factions, with Dresser occupying a distinctive position as one of the last independent naturalists. The British Ornithologists Union had its 50th anniversary in 1909; this showed how the BOU had become rather left behind in the face of competition from the American school of ornithology. Bird and egg collecting were the source of a great debate that ran for some time in the Times. Dresser took part in the commemorations of Darwin’s birth and the publication of On the Origin of Species through his friendship with Alfred Russel Wallace. He was again accused of theft by the British Museum (Natural History). Dresser took part in one last book project, to standardise the names of the birds that had occurred in Britain in line with more modern naming practices.
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Papers by Henry A . McGhie
Leading to an exhibition at Glasgow Science Centre ahead of and during COP26.