A. M. (Albert Moore) Reese

Born in 1872, Albert Moore Reese was an American zoologist, teacher, and author whose career was closely tied to higher education and biological research. Records from Johns Hopkins and later references to his published work show a strong background in anatomy, histology, and embryology, fields that shaped much of his scientific writing.

Reese became a longtime professor of zoology at West Virginia University, where archival records remember him as a lasting presence in the department. He wrote a number of specialized works, including An Introduction to Vertebrate Embryology, Outlines of Economic Zoölogy, and the well-known The Alligator and Its Allies, reflecting a lifelong interest in animal structure, development, and behavior.

What makes Reese especially interesting to modern readers is the mix of depth and range in his writing. Even when he focused on technical subjects, his books were driven by plain curiosity about how living things work, and that spirit still comes through today.