Although he never had had any formal scientific training in zoology, Ramsay had a keen interest in natural history and published many papers.

In 1868 Ramsay joined with his brothers in a sugar-growing plantation in Queensland which, however, was not successful.

He became the first Australian-born Curator of the Australian Museum,[2] and built up a large variety of native weapons, dresses, utensils and ornaments illustrating the ethnology of Polynesia and Australia.

At that time he met Military Surgeon Francis Day who had collected fishes over several decades in India, Burma, Malaysia and other areas in southern Asia.

[3] After his resignation as Curator, Ramsay served the Australian Museum as "consulting ornithologist" until 1909.