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44-415: The Linnean Society of London is a learned society dedicated to the study and dissemination of information concerning natural history , evolution , and taxonomy . It possesses several important biological specimen, manuscript and literature collections, and publishes academic journals and books on plant and animal biology. The society also awards a number of prestigious medals and prizes. A product of

88-412: A meeting of the society, before they are able to vote in society elections. Admission takes the form of signing the membership book, and thereby agreeing to an obligation to abide by the statutes of the society. Following this the new fellow is taken by the hand by the president, who recites a formula of admission to the fellowship. Other forms of membership exist: 'Associate' (or 'ALS'), for supporters of

132-416: A minimum of two-thirds of those electors voting. Fellows may employ the post-nominal letters 'FLS'. Fellowship is open to both professional scientists and to amateur naturalists who have shown active interest in natural history and allied disciplines. Having authored relevant publications is an advantage, but not a necessity, for election. Following election, new fellows must be formally admitted, in person at

176-496: A particular subject or discipline, provided they pay their membership fees. Older and more academic/professional societies may offer associateships and/or fellowships to fellows who are appropriately qualified by honoris causa , or by submission of a portfolio of work or an original thesis. A benefit of membership may be discounts on the subscription rates for the publications of the society. Many of these societies award post-nominal letters to their memberships. The membership at

220-481: A range of experiments on the colours of polymorphic caterpillars to examine if food, background or other factors are involved in their colour changes. He was able to show that the caterpillars were sensitive to the background colours and that it was perceived even when they were blinded, and was among the earliest to suggest extraocular photoreception. Poulton enlarged the Hope entomological collections with his catches in

264-733: Is also held by the society. Other notable holdings of the society include the notebooks and journals of Alfred Russel Wallace and the paintings of plants and animals made by Francis Buchanan-Hamilton (1762–1829) in Nepal . In December 2014, the society's specimen, library, and archive collections were granted designated status by the Arts Council England , recognising collections of national and international importance (one of only 152 institutions so recognised as of 2020). The Linnean Society began its extensive series of publications on 13 August 1791, when Volume I of Transactions of

308-515: The 18th-century enlightenment , the society is the oldest extant biological society in the world and is historically important as the venue for the first public presentation of the theory of evolution by natural selection on 1 July 1858. The former patron of the society was Queen Elizabeth II . Honorary members include: King Charles III of the United Kingdom, Emeritus Emperor Akihito of Japan , King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (both of

352-804: The American Association for the Advancement of Science , specific to a given discipline, such as the Modern Language Association , or specific to a given area of study, such as the Royal Entomological Society . Most are either specific to a particular country (e.g. the Entomological Society of Israel ), though they generally include some members from other countries as well, often with local branches, or are international, such as

396-969: The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions or the Regional Studies Association , in which case they often have national branches. But many are local, such as the Massachusetts Medical Society , the publishers of the internationally known The New England Journal of Medicine . Some learned societies (such as the Royal Society Te Apārangi ) have been rechartered by legislation to form quasi-autonomous non-governmental organizations . Membership may be open to all, may require possession of some qualification, or may be an honor conferred by election. Some societies offer membership to those who have an interest in

440-1200: The World Association in Economics is free of cost. Following the globalization and the development of information technology, certain scholarly societies—such as the Modern Language Association—have created virtual communities for their members. In addition to established academic associations, academic virtual communities have been so organized that, in some cases, they have become more important platforms for interaction and scientific collaborations among researchers and faculty than have traditional scholarly societies. Members of these online academic communities, grouped by areas of interests, use for their communication shared and dedicated listservs (for example JISCMail ), social networking services (like Facebook or LinkedIn ) and academic oriented social networks (like Humanities Commons, ResearchGate , Mendeley or Academia.edu ). Edward Bagnall Poulton Sir Edward Bagnall Poulton , FRS HFRSE FLS (27 January 1856 – 20 November 1943)

484-481: The sociology of science argue that learned societies are of key importance and their formation assists in the emergence and development of new disciplines or professions. In the form of professional associations, they can assist in the creation of pathways to leadership. The World Association in Economics provides help to the members of the WAE on the following issues: Societies can be very general in nature, such as

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528-412: The 20th century. Sir Edward Poulton , who was president in 1912–1916, was a great defender of natural selection, and was the first biologist to recognise the importance of frequency-dependent selection . In 1904, the society elected its first female fellows, following a number of years of tireless campaigning by the botanist Marian Farquharson . Whilst the society's council was reluctant to admit women,

572-611: The Linnean Society , which focuses on plant sciences, and Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society focusing on animal systematics and evolution. In 2022, the society launched the Evolutionary Journal of the Linnean Society , its first fully open access scholarly publication. The Linnean is a biannual newsletter. It contains commentary on recent activities and events, articles on history and science, and occasional biographies/obituaries of people connected to

616-498: The Linnean Society of London at Wikisource [REDACTED] Media related to Linnean Society of London at Wikimedia Commons Learned society Most learned societies are non-profit organizations , and many are professional associations . Their activities typically include holding regular conferences for the presentation and discussion of new research results, and publishing or sponsoring academic journals in their discipline. Some also act as professional bodies, regulating

660-467: The Linnean Society of London was produced. Over the following centuries the society published a number of different journals, some of which specialised in more specific subject areas, whilst earlier publications were discontinued. Those still in publication include: the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , which covers the evolutionary biology of all organisms, Botanical Journal of

704-412: The Linnean Society, and became one of its first Honorary Members. The society has numbered many prominent scientists amongst its fellows. One such was the botanist Robert Brown , who was librarian, and later president (1849–1853); he named the cell nucleus and discovered Brownian motion . In 1854, Charles Darwin was elected a fellow; he is undoubtedly the most illustrious scientist ever to appear on

748-651: The Linnean Society: Linnaeus' botanical and zoological collections were purchased in 1783 by Sir James Edward Smith, the first president of the society, and are now held in London by the society. The collections include 14,000 plants, 158 fish, 1,564 shells, 3,198 insects, 1,600 books and 3,000 letters and documents. They may be viewed by appointment and there is a monthly tour of the collections. Smith's own plant collection of 27,185 dried specimens, together with his correspondence and book collection,

792-520: The Linnean Society; it also includes book reviews, reference material and correspondence. The society also publishes books and Synopses of the British Fauna , a series of field-guides. Previously, an electronic magazine for Fellows, Pulse , was produced quarterly. This ceased publication in 2021. For the fellows of the Linnean Society of London, see: Fellows of the Linnean Society of London [REDACTED] Works related to Transactions of

836-500: The United Kingdom, Lord Aberdeen . The first public exposition of the 'Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection', arguably the greatest single leap of progress made in biology, was presented to a meeting of the Linnean Society on 1 July 1858. At this meeting a joint presentation of papers by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace was made, sponsored by Joseph Hooker and Charles Lyell , as neither author could be present. The society's connection with evolution remained strong into

880-528: The Zoological Secretary, and his wife, Mary Anne , from the right hand side sometime before the painting was presented to the society in 1919. The first female president of the society was Irene Manton (1973 to 1976), who pioneered the biological use of electron microscopy . Her work revealed the structure of the flagellum and cilia , which are central to many systems of cellular motility. Recent years have seen an increased interest within

924-591: The activities of their members in the public interest or the collective interest of the membership. Some of the oldest learned societies are the Académie des Jeux floraux (founded 1323), Sodalitas Litterarum Vistulana (founded 1488), Accademia della Crusca (founded 1583), Accademia dei Lincei (founded 1603), Académie Française (founded 1635), German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (founded 1652), Royal Society (founded 1660) and French Academy of Sciences (founded 1666). Scholars in

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968-480: The anti-Darwinian entomologist John Obadiah Westwood , graduating with a first-class degree in natural science. He maintained an unbroken connection with the college for seventy years as scholar, lecturer and Fellow (appointed to a fellowship in 1898) until his death. He was a generous benefactor to Jesus College, providing silver for the high table and redecorating the Old Bursary amongst other donations. He

1012-413: The duration of World War II . This move was facilitated by the 12th Duke of Bedford , a Fellow of the Linnean Society himself. Three thousand of the most precious items from the library collections were packed up and evacuated to Oxford; the country house of librarian Warren Royal Dawson provided a refuge for the society's records. Fellowship requires nomination by at least one fellow, and election by

1056-454: The fellowship at the annual Anniversary Meeting in May. Meetings have historically been, and continue to be, the main justification for the society's existence. Meetings are venues for people of like interests to exchange information, talk about scientific and literary concerns, exhibit specimens, and listen to lectures. Today, meetings are held in the evening and also at lunchtime. Most are open to

1100-622: The field which earned him the nickname of "Bag-all" Poulton. Many of the specimens are unmounted and held in biscuit tins. In his 1896 book Charles Darwin and the Theory of Natural Selection , Poulton described Darwin's On the Origin of Species as "incomparably the greatest work" that the biological sciences had seen. Critics of natural selection, Poulton contended, had not taken the time to understand it. Poulton, along with Julian Huxley , J.B.S. Haldane , R.A. Fisher and E.B. Ford , promoted

1144-523: The first cohort of women to be elected in 1904 were: the paleobotanist, and later pioneer of family planning, Marie Stopes , the philanthropist Constance Sladen , founder of the Percy Sladen Memorial Trust and Alice Laura Embleton (1876–1960), biologist , zoologist and suffragist , who had been one of the earliest women to deliver a paper to the society on 4 Jun 1903. Overall, 15 out of 16 women nominated in 1904 were elected to

1188-514: The furtherance of natural history. The inception of the society was the direct result of the purchase by Sir James Edward Smith of the specimen, book and correspondence collections of Carl Linnaeus. When the collection was offered for sale by Linnaeus's heirs, Smith was urged to acquire it by Sir Joseph Banks , the eminent botanist and president of the Royal Society . Five years after this purchase Banks gave Smith his full support in founding

1232-487: The general public as well as to members, and the majority are offered without charge for admission. On or near 24 May, traditionally regarded as the birthday of Carl Linnaeus, the Anniversary Meeting is held. This is for fellows and guests only, it includes ballots for membership of the council of the society and the awarding of medals. On 22 May 2020, for the first time in its history, the Anniversary Meeting

1276-689: The grounds that " Mendelism " was an obstacle to evolutionary thought; but he changed his mind and came to support the work of the Genetical Society. Poulton's Presidential Address to the British Association in 1937 at the age of 81 reviewed the history of evolutionary thought. He stated that the work of J.B.S. Haldane , R.A. Fisher and Julian Huxley was vitally important for showing the relationships between Mendelism and natural selection. The observations and experiments of many biologists had "immensely strengthened and confirmed"

1320-461: The idea of natural selection throughout the period of the eclipse of Darwinism , when it was denigrated. There was a long debate between Poulton and the geneticist Reginald Punnett , one of Bateson 's disciples. Punnett's 1915 Mimicry in Butterflies rejected selection as the main cause of mimicry , while Poulton supported it. Further, Poulton's 1908 Essays on Evolution opposed genetics on

1364-496: The latter have active interests in natural history), and the eminent naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough . The Linnean Society was founded in 1788 by botanist Sir James Edward Smith . The society takes its name from the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus , the 'father of taxonomy', who systematised biological classification through his binomial nomenclature . (He was known as Carl von Linné after his ennoblement, hence

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1408-562: The membership rolls of the society. Another famous fellow was biologist Thomas Huxley , who would later gain the nickname "Darwin's bulldog" for his outspoken defence of Darwin and evolution. Men notable in other walks of life have also been fellows of the society, including the physician Edward Jenner , pioneer of vaccination , the Arctic explorers Sir John Franklin and Sir James Clark Ross , colonial administrator and founder of Singapore , Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles and Prime Minister of

1452-643: The researches on mimicry and warning colours of pioneers like Bates , Wallace , Meldola , Trimen and Müller . Poulton lived with his family at 56 Banbury Road in North Oxford , a large Victorian Gothic house designed by John Gibbs and built in 1866. In 1881, he married Emily Palmer (d.1939), daughter of George Palmer , Member of Parliament for Reading and head of Huntley and Palmer 's biscuit company; they had five children. Three of them were dead by 1919. Their eldest son Dr Edward Palmer Poulton of Guy's Hospital died in 1939, meaning that Sir Edward

1496-764: The society has been based at Burlington House , Piccadilly , London ; an address it shares with a number of other learned societies: the Geological Society of London , the Royal Astronomical Society , the Society of Antiquaries of London and the Royal Society of Chemistry . In April 1939 the threat of war obliged the society to relocate the Linnean collections out of London to Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire , where they remained for

1540-616: The society in issues of biodiversity conservation. This was highlighted by the inception in 2015 of an annual award, the John Spedan Lewis Medal, specifically honouring persons making significant and innovative contributions to conservation. The society has had a number of different homes, initially meeting in Marlborough Coffee House (1788), before moving to Panton Square in 1795, then Gerrard Street, Soho in 1805, and Soho Square in 1821. Since 1857

1584-470: The society who do not wish to submit to the formal election process for fellowship, and 'Student Associate', for those registered as students at a place of tertiary education. Associate members may apply for election to the fellowship at any time. Finally, there are three types of membership that are prestigious and strictly limited in number: 'Fellow honoris causa' , 'Foreign', and lastly, 'Honorary'. These forms of membership are bestowed following election by

1628-423: The society. Marian Farquharson was not admitted, having been "shamefully blackballed" as the society now states, although she was finally admitted in 1908. The painting "Admission of Lady Fellows" by James Sant R.A., which hangs on the upper staircase, shows the eleven women signing the society's Book of Admission and Obligation on 19 January 1905. The painting was altered to remove the figures of T R R Stebbing ,

1672-446: The spelling 'Linnean', rather than 'Linnaean'.) The society had a number of minor name variations before it gained its Royal Charter on 26 March 1802, when the name became fixed as "The Linnean Society of London". As a newly incorporated society, it comprised 228 fellows. It is the oldest extant natural history society in the world. Throughout its history the society has been a non-political and non-sectarian institution, existing solely for

1716-657: The term aposematism for warning coloration. He became Hope Professor of Zoology at the University of Oxford in 1893. Edward Poulton was born in Reading, Berkshire on 27 January 1856, the son of the architect William Ford Poulton and his wife, Georgina Sabrina Bagnall. He was educated at Oakley House School in Reading, which he described as having mainly nonconformist pupils. Between 1873 and 1876, Poulton studied at Jesus College, Oxford under George Rolleston and

1760-468: The wider fellowship was more supportive; only 17% voted against the proposal. Among the first to benefit from this were the ornithologist and photographer Emma Louisa Turner , Lilian J. Veley , a microbiologist , Annie Lorrain Smith , a lichenologist and mycologist , Gulielma Lister , a mycologist, and Margaret Jane Benson , a paleobotanist , all formally admitted on 19 January 1905. Also numbered in

1804-476: Was a British evolutionary biologist , a lifelong advocate of natural selection through a period in which many scientists such as Reginald Punnett doubted its importance. He invented the term sympatric for evolution of species in the same place, and in his book The Colours of Animals (1890) was the first to recognise frequency-dependent selection . He is remembered for his pioneering work on animal coloration and camouflage , and in particular for inventing

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1848-535: Was held online via videotelephony . This was due to restrictions on public gatherings imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic . The Linnean Society of London aims to promote the study of all aspects of the biological sciences, with particular emphasis on evolution, taxonomy, biodiversity, and sustainability. Through awarding medals and grants, the society acknowledges and encourages excellence in all of these fields. The following medals and prizes are awarded by

1892-480: Was knighted by King George V in 1935. Poulton died in Oxford on 20 November 1943. Poulton was a Darwinist , believing in natural selection as the primary force in evolution. His 1890 book, The Colours of Animals , introduced the concepts of frequency-dependent selection and aposematic coloration , as well as supporting Darwin's then unpopular theories of natural selection and sexual selection . He conducted

1936-486: Was outlived only by his daughter Margaret Lucy (1887–1965), wife of Dr Maxwell Garnett. Poulton's son, Ronald Poulton-Palmer played international rugby for England and was killed in May 1915 in World War I . His first daughter Hilda married Dr Ernest Ainsley-Walker and died in 1917. His youngest daughter, Janet Palmer, married Charles Symonds in 1915 and died in 1919. Poulton is remembered as an early originator of

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