Glover M. Allen

Glover Morrill Allen (1879–1942) was an eminent American zoologist, academic, and author whose scientific writings significantly advanced the study of mammalogy and ornithology in the early twentieth century. Born in Walpole, New Hampshire, Allen pursued his education at Harvard University, earning his undergraduate degree in 1901, followed by an A.M. in 1903 and a Ph.D. in 1904. His literary and scientific career began early; while still a student, he published foundational regional surveys, including The Birds of Massachusetts and A List of the Birds of New Hampshire.

Following his graduation, Allen served as a librarian for the Boston Society of Natural History before transitioning into academia. In 1924, he began lecturing in zoology at Harvard University, where he also took on the role of Curator of Mammals at the Museum of Comparative Zoology. His research was fueled by extensive global expeditions, including travels to Central and South America, East and West Africa, and Australia. These journeys, such as the Harvard Medical African Expedition and the Harvard Australian Expedition, provided him with the primary material that informed his extensive bibliography.

Allen's most influential publications include Bats: Biology, Behavior and Folklore (1939), which became a definitive text on chiroptera, alongside comprehensive reference works like Checklist of African Mammals and Mammals of China and Mongolia. Beyond his writing, he served as president of the American Society of Mammalogists from 1927 to 1929 and was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His legacy in natural history is preserved both through his extensive writings and the scientific names of species dedicated to him.