author
Francis Hobart Herrick
1858–1940
A pioneering American biologist who turned close observation of animals into vivid, approachable writing. Best known for his books on birds, lobsters, and John James Audubon, he helped bring natural history to a broad audience.
2 Audiobooks
Audubon the Naturalist: A History of His Life and Time. Vol. 1 (of 2)
by Francis Hobart Herrick
Audubon the Naturalist: A History of His Life and Time. Vol. 2 (of 2)
by Francis Hobart Herrick
About the author
Born in Woodstock, Vermont, on November 19, 1858, Francis Hobart Herrick became an American writer, natural history illustrator, and scientist. He studied at Dartmouth College and later earned a doctorate in biology, building a career that joined careful research with a gift for clear explanation.
Herrick was a founding professor of biology at Adelbert College of Western Reserve University in Cleveland. His scientific work included important studies of the American lobster, while his books for general readers explored bird life and other parts of the natural world in a lively, observant way.
He is also remembered for his major two-volume biography of John James Audubon, which helped preserve the story of one of America’s best-known naturalists. Herrick died in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 11, 1940, leaving behind a body of work that connects science, field observation, and readable storytelling.