Portuguese zoologist and politician
José Vicente Barbosa du Bocage (2 May 1823 – 3 November 1907) was a Portuguese zoologist, politician, and professor. He served as a professor of zoology and director of the National Museum of Natural History and Science at the Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, where he played a role in the development of Portuguese zoological collections and research. Bocage’s scientific work led to the description of numerous species, particularly of Portuguese and African fauna, and he published extensively on taxonomy, advancing zoological knowledge in Portugal and its overseas territories.
Bocage held public offices, including Minister of the Navy and Oversea. He was involved in colonial and geographical policy, co-founding the Lisbon Geographic Society and representing Portugal at the Berlin Conference, where he advocated for Portuguese claims in Africa. His contributions to Portuguese science and colonial administration are commemorated in the names of several species, such as two lizards and two bird species.
Biography.
José was born on May 2, 1823, in Funchal, Portugal, into the Du Bocage family of French descent. His father, João José Barbosa du Bocage, was a cadet in the army but emigrated to Brazil in 1830 due to his opposition to the absolutist regime of King Miguel I of Portugal. The family reunited in Rio de Janeiro, where Bocage’s maternal uncle, José Ferreira Pestana, had established a school where both his parents taught. Following the triumph of the liberal cause in 1834, the family returned to Funchal, where João José served as a customs officer.
In 1839, José enrolled at the University of Coimbra, initially studying mathematics and later pursuing medicine. He graduated in 1846 with a bachelor’s degree in medicine. During the Little Civil War, he joined the academic battalion, supporting the liberal cause. After the war, he established a medical practice in Lisbon and was appointed to Hospital de São José. However, he soon shifted his focus to zoology. That same year, he married Teresa Roma, with whom he had one son, Carlos Roma du Bocage.
Zoology.
Bocage began his academic career in 1849 when he was appointed as a substitute teacher in zoology at the Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon. By 1851, he had become a full professor, dedicating more than 30 years to teaching zoology and organizing scientific research at the institution, which later became part of the University of Lisbon’s Faculty of Science.
In 1858, Bocage was appointed as the scientific director and curator of zoology at the National Museum of Natural History and Science, part of the Polytechnic School. Under his leadership, the museum became a central institution for studying and classifying the fauna of Portugal and its colonies. He took on the task of organizing the museum’s zoological collections with a clear acquisition policy, prioritizing specimens that filled gaps within specific taxonomic groups rather than expanding the collection indiscriminately.
Bocage published numerous works on specimen classification, which played a vital role in structuring the museum’s collections and advancing Portuguese taxonomy. His primary focus was on the fauna of Portugal and its African colonies, particularly Angola. He worked closely with field collectors like Joseph of Anchieta, who contributed extensive collections from Angola.
Throughout his career, Bocage published 177 scientific papers and described approximately 100 new species, focusing on the classification of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and sponges. His scientific collaborations extended internationally, including with the Natural History Museum in Paris, where he secured collections in exchange for Portuguese specimens taken during the Napoleonic invasion of Iberia. In 1875, Bocage co-founded the Lisbon Geographic Society and served as its president from 1877 to 1883. His contributions to Portuguese zoology were recognized in 1905 when the museum was renamed in his honour by government decree.
Politics.
Bocage was actively involved in public life and politics. He joined the Regenerator Party, a political party in Portugal, and was elected as a deputy for Montemor-o-Novo municipality in 1879. He served on committees for Public Instruction, Health, Foreign Affairs, and Overseas Territories, advocating for a structured colonization policy and supporting Portuguese geographical knowledge and expansion in Africa.
In 1881, Bocage was appointed as a Peer of the realm and subsequently served as Minister of the Navy and Overseas in the government of Fontes Pereira de Melo. His tenure saw significant developments in Portuguese colonial policy, including the establishment of a regular steamship line between Lisbon and Mozambique. Bocage helped organize the Berlin Conference, which outlined principles for territorial claims in Africa. He advocated for Portuguese control of territories connecting Angola and Mozambique, a vision partially articulated in the Pink Map, although ultimately opposed by British interests.
Honours.
Bocage earned several honours, including the Portuguese Military Order of Saint James of the Sword, the Spanish Cross of Naval Merit, the Austrian Order of Franz Joseph, the Brazilian Order of the Rose, and the rank of officer in the French Legion of Honour. In 1903, the Lisbon Geographic Society held a ceremony in his honour, where King Carlos I of Portugal awarded him a medal of honour in recognition of his contributions to science and the Portuguese nation.
Taxa named in his honour.
Bocage is commemorated in the scientific names of several species. Among reptiles, the lizards "Podarcis bocagei" and "Trachylepis bocagii" bear his name. Additionally, two bird species are named in his honour: Bocage's sunbird and Bocage's akalat.
References.
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