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Louis Fraser (1810 - 1866) was a British zoologist and collector. In his early years Fraser was Curator of the Museum of the Zoological Society of London He participated in the notorious Niger River Expedition as the African Civilization Society's scientist on Allen and Thomson's 1841-1842 Expedition. Upon his return he became in charge of Lord Derby's collection at Knowsley. He wrote Zoologica Typica, or figures of the new and rare animals and birds in the collection of the Zoological Society of London, a lavishly illustrated large-sized book, published in 1849. In this book he described a large number of new species of birds. In 1850, Fraser was appointed Consul of Quidah, Dahomey (now Benin), West Africa. In 1859, he collected birds and mammals in Ecuador for Philip Lutley Sclater of the Zoological Society of London, and the year after in California. Upon his return to London, he opened a shop in Regent Street, London, selling exotic birds. The last years of his life he spent in America.
