[3][1] Jane Busk's father, John Westly, was Customs House clerk in St.

[5] During this period Busk made important observations on cholera and on scurvy.

[6] In 1855, he retired from service and from medicine[1] and settled in London, where he devoted himself mainly to the study of zoology and palaeontology.

[4] He was a member of the famous X-Club, founded by T. H. Huxley, which was active in revitalising science in the period 1865–1885.

Busk successfully nominated Charles Darwin for the Copley Medal, the highest award of the Royal Society, in 1864.

[4] Busk was the leading authority on the Polyzoa; and later the vertebrate remains from caverns and river deposits occupied his attention.