Career
Ferguson entered the Ceylon civil service in 1839, arriving in the island in December of that year. Here he lived until his death on 31 July 1887. He occupied his leisure time in botanical and entomological studies, gaining an intimate knowledge of the flora and insect life of the island, and publishing from time to time the results of his observations and researches in The Ceylon Observer and the Tropical Agriculturist.
His work obtained recognition from Doctor Hooker and other eminent biologists (see Ceylon, Physical, Historical and Topographical).
Also, in the scientific field of herpetology, Ferguson described two new species of reptiles, Aspidura guentheri and Cnemaspis scalpensis.