P008078 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 2026-06-23 human Helen Cohn updated 2026-06-23 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P008078b.htm person Wild John James FRGS AACR2 Wild, Jean Jacques 1824 3 June 1900 Place of Birth Zürich, Switzerland Place of Death St Kilda, Victoria, Australia Zoological artist Zoologist Lithographer John Wild (born Jean Jacques Wild) was a zoologist and illustrator who taught languages in Belfast for some years before being appointed to the ChallengerExpedition as artist and secretary to the chief scientist, Charles Thomson. During the Expedition Wild used the on-board laboratory to describe and illustrate marine specimens. His published contributions to the Expedition included a treatise on ocean conditions (Thalassa, 1877) and At anchor (1878). In 1881 Wild migrated to Victoria. Despite his wide experience in natural history and as an illustrator, finding employment proved difficult. For some while he lectured in modern languages at Trinity College, and was examiner in French and German matriculation. He came to the attention of Frederick McCoy, Professor of Natural History at the University of Melbourne, who engaged him to prepare lithographs of terrestrial and marine animals for his Prodromus of the Zoology of Victoria (1885 - 1890). Wild's illustrations were notable for their precision and clarity. Other Victorian scientists who commissioned work from him included Baldwin Spencer. 1872 1876 Career position - Artist and secretary, Challenger Expedition 1881 1881 Life event - Migrated to Victoria Spencer, Walter Baldwin (1860 - 1929)

Commissioned lithographs for his paper on the giant earth worm of Gippsland Megascolides australis

 McCoy, Frederick (1817 - 1899)

Commissioned lithographs for his Prodromus of the zoology of Victoria

 'Wild, John James', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, History of Australian Science Research Group Wild, John James Swinburne University of Technology, Office of the Chief Scientist Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Journal Article: Outlines of anthropology Wild, J. J. Outlines of anthropology 1889 Report of the first meeting of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science 442-7 Journal Article: The anatomy of Megascolides australis (the giant earth worm of Gippsland) Spencer, W. Baldwin The anatomy of <span style="font-style:italic">Megascolides australis</span> (the giant earth worm of Gippsland) 1888 Transactions of the Royal Society of Victoria 1 1 1-47 Book: At anchor: a narrative of experiences afloat and ashore during the voyage of H.M.A. "Challenger" from 1872 to 1876 Wild, John James At anchor: a narrative of experiences afloat and ashore during the voyage of H.M.A. "Challenger" from 1872 to 1876 London Marcus Ward and Company 1878 Book: Thalassa: an essay of the depth, temperature and currents of the ocean Wild, John James Thalassa: an essay of the depth, temperature and currents of the ocean London Marcus Ward and Company 1877 Book: Prodromus of the zoology of Victoria, or, figures and descriptions of the living species of all classes of the Victorian indigenous animals McCoy, Frederick Prodromus of the zoology of Victoria, or, figures and descriptions of the living species of all classes of the Victorian indigenous animals Melbourne Government Printer 1885-1890 Resource Section: John James Wild (1812 - 1900) John James Wild (1812 - 1900) National Centre of Biography, Australian National University 2026 Obituaries Australia Resource: McCoy's zoology of Victoria: the artists Museums Victoria McCoy's zoology of Victoria: the artists Carlton Museum Victoria 2026