John Henry Comstock 1879426 214751140 2008-05-25T02:51:15Z Wloveral 3573669 copyedit [[Image:John-Henry-Comstock-1849-1931.jpg|thumb|230px|right|John Henry Comstock]] '''John Henry Comstock''' ([[1849]]-[[1931]]) was an eminent researcher in [[entomology]] and a leading educator. His work provided the basis for classification of butterflies, moths, and scale insects. ==Early life and education== Comstock was born on [[February 24]], [[1849]] in [[Janesville, Wisconsin]]. He studied at [[Cornell University]], graduating in 1874. He also studied at [[Yale University]] and the [[University of Leipzig]]. In 1878 he married [[Anna Botsford Comstock|Anna Botsford]]. She was a wood engraver who beautifully illustrated many of his articles. Comstock became a professor of Nature Studies at Cornell. [[Image:Anna-Botsford-Comstock-1854-1930.jpg|thumb|160px|left|Anna Botsford Comstock]] ==Career== Comstock worked as an instructor at Cornell until 1879. He worked at [[Vassar College]] from 1877 to 1879. Between 1879 and 1881 he became the chief Entomologist of the [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] in [[Washington, D.C]]. In 1882 he became professor of Entomology and Invertebrate Zoology at Cornell. He also did work in insect morphology and is best known as the co-proposer of the [[Comstock-Needham system]] with [[James George Needham]]. Comstock, through his own work and that of his students, had a significant influence in the development of entomology departments throughout the United States. He died on [[March 20]], [[1931]]. ==The John Henry Comstock Award== The [[Entomological Society of America]] gives out an award in each of its five branches to the outstanding graduate student of the year. This award is the John Henry Comstock Graduate Student Award. [[Image:Comstock-Couverture.jpg|thumb|230px|right|''Manual for the Study of Insects,'' title page]] ==Publications== Comstock published many articles including: * ''A Manual for the study of insects'' (1930) illustrated by [[Anna Botsford Comstock]]. * ''The Spider book: a manual for the study of the spiders and near relatives'' (1913). * ''Notes on Entomology'' (Ithaca, 1875). * ''Annual Reports of Entomologist'' (Washington, 1879-1881). * ''Report on Cotton Insects'' (1879). * ''Second Annual Report of the Department of Entomology of Cornell University,'' including a monograph on ''[[Diaspinae]]'' (Ithaca, 1883). * an article on ''[[Hymenoptera]]'' in the "Standard Natural History" (Boston, 1884). [[Image:Comstock-Planche.jpg|thumb|180px|left|Plate from ''Manual of the Study of Insects''.]] About Henry and Anna: * "Anna Botsford Comstock," "John Henry Comstock," "Harrison Gray Dyar," "Mary Jane Rathbun," and "Robert Edwards Carter Stearns." In: ''American National Biography''. New York: (Oxford University Press, 1999). ==External links== * [http://www.entsoc.org/awards/student/comstock.htm The John Henry Comstock Graduate Student Award] * [http://www.entsoc.org/awards/student/comstock_list.htm List of winners of the Comstock Award] * [http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/RMA00025.html The correspondence of John Henry and Anna Botsford Comstock in the Cornell Library] * [http://darwin.lib.cam.ac.uk/perl/nav?pclass=name;pkey=Comstock%2C%20J.%20H.;offset=1000 Correspondence with Charles Darwin] * [http://darwin.lib.cam.ac.uk/perl/nav?pclass=calent;pkey=12621 Letter to Darwin] * [http://bcrc.bio.umass.edu/kunkel/comstock/www/ Cover of "A Manual ..." with an engraving by Anna Botsford Comstock] * [http://www.uwire.com/content/topnews103101001.html Article mentioning John and Anna as early married professors] * [http://www.archive.org/details/introductiontoen00comsrich Introduction to Entomology (1908)] {{DEFAULTSORT:Comstock, John Henry}} [[Category:1849 births]] [[Category:1931 deaths]] [[Category:American entomologists]] [[Category:American zoologists]] [[Category:Cornell University alumni]] [[Category:Cornell University faculty]] [[Category:People from Janesville, Wisconsin]] [[fr:John Henry Comstock]]