Baron Edgar Von Harold
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Baron
Edgar von Harold was born in Munich from a family of Irish
origin. He was educated at the court of the Bavarian King, where
he graduated in 1848. Harold then enrolled in the Royal
Guard of Bavaria where he worked until 1869. He retired
with the rank of 1st class Captain. This time off enabled
him to travel to Spain and the Moroccan coast. When he
returned to Europe he then visited Paris, London and several
other famous cities. In 1870 he returned to military service.
At the end of the war he became a civilian once again.
It was then that he could devote all of his time to entomology.
Edgar von Harold had a broad interest in Coleoptera and in 1868
published the first volume of the Catalogus Coloepterorum
Hucusque Descriptorum, a project in cooperation with Gemminger.
Gemminger and Harold published the last volume of this immense
work in 1876. Although strongly criticized at the time
due to changes in nomenclature, this work bestowed on Harold
and Gemminger great recognition. His largest contribution
was in the group Scarabaeinae (coprophagous beetles).
Harold was editor of the Coleopterische Hefte (1867-1879)
and author of a large portion of its content. It was here
where the majority of his scarab descriptions were published.
He was also editor of the Mittheilungen des Münchener
Entom. Vereins (1877-1881). Harold accepted the Curator
position of the Entomology Section of the Berlin Museum from
1877 to 1880. This commitment provided him with access
to a large collection of new species of scarabs waiting to be
described. Harold was also a member of several prominent
societies, including the Société Entomologique de France and
The Entomological Society of London. In later years, failing
eyesight due to a disease prevented him from further work.
He died August 1, 1886 after a long and arduous battle with
stomach cancer.
References:
McLachlan, Robert. 1886. Obituary. Proceedings of the
Entomological Society of London, pp. LXV-LXVI.
Fairmaire, L. 1887. Notice Nécrologique sur M. le baron Edgar
von Harold. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 1887:47-48.
Information provided by François Genier, Canadian Museum of
Nature. |
