Robert Swinhoe

Robert Swinhoe FRS (1 September 1836 – 28 October 1877) was an English biologist who worked as a Consul in Formosa. He discovered many Southeast Asian birds and several, such as Swinhoe's pheasant, are named after him.

Swinhoe was born in Calcutta where his father, who came from a Northumberland family, was a lawyer. There is no clear record of the date of his arrival in England, but it is known he attended the University of London, and in 1854 joined the China consular corps.

He was stationed to the remote port of Amoy, some 300 miles to the northeast of Hong Kong, in 1855. While at this port he mastered not only the Chinese language (both official Mandarin and the local Amoy dialect), but he also initiated a detailed and authoritative understanding of the ornithology of eastern China. In March, 1856, Swinhoe made an "adventurous" visit to the camphor districts of northwestern Formosa on board a lorcha, a hybrid vessel utilizing a European hull and Chinese rigging. Whether this was an official or personal visit is unknown, but he made mention of this on several occasions through the rest of his published career. While at Amoy he courted and married Christina Stronach (née Lockie), the daughter of a Scottish missionary, in 1857.

In June and July 1858 Swinhoe participated in the circumnavigation of Formosa on board HMS Inflexible in search of British and American castaways. He served as translator as well in two subsequent British actions against the Chinese in North China in 1858 and 1860, the latter resulting in his book, The North China Campaign of 1860 (London, 1861), his personal account of the Second Opium War.

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