Bombay Natural History Society

The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) is the largest organization of environmental research of the Indian Sous-continent.

The September 15th 1883, eight inhabitants (six English and two Indians) of Bombay are found in Victoria and Albert Museum and baptize themselves Bombay Natural History Society. They propose to meet every month and to exchange observations, to show interesting specimens and, in addition, to be encouraged mutually.

The writer Edward Hamilton Aitken (1851-1909) (the first honorary secretary, of September 1883 at March 1886) and Dr. G.A. Maconochie are the fons and origo (the source and the origin) of the Company. The other founders are J.C. Anderson, Dr. Sakaram Arjun, J. Johnston, D. MacDonald, Atmaram Pandurang and Charles Swinhoe (1836-1923). H.M. Phipson (the second honorary secretary, of 1886 with 1906) joint with them and offers a part in its wine trade to the 18 Forbes Street.

In 1911, Robert Charles Wroughton (1849-1921), a member of the Company and forest agent, organizes a research on the Mammifère S while requiring of the other members, largely divided on the sub-continent to forward to him of the specimens. This call, perhaps one of the first examples of collective research in Natural history, will make it possible to gather 50.000 specimens in twelve years, the description of several news species S, 47 publications scientific and to improve knowledge of the biography.

Ajourd' today the BNHS has its own building, the Hornbill House in the south of Mumbai. The current activities are devoted to the natural study of world and its conservation. A quadrimestriel, The Newspaper off the Bombay Natural History Society and quarterly, Hornbill . The logo of the BNHS is a homage to a Bucorve (a bird of the family of the Bucerotidae) which lived in the Company at the beginning of its existence and fore-mentioned William.

External bond

Official site of the Company.

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