Thomas Say

Born in Philadelphia in 1787, Thomas Say became one of the most important early American naturalists. He is especially remembered for his studies of insects and shells, and for helping establish the careful descriptive work that shaped American entomology and conchology.

His science was grounded in observation and travel. He took part in expeditions to places including Florida, Georgia, the Rocky Mountains, and Mexico, collecting and describing species that were little known to science at the time. That combination of fieldwork and close study made his writing influential far beyond the United States.

Although he died in 1834, Say's reputation lasted. Generations of scientists have looked back on him as a foundational figure in the study of North American wildlife, and many readers still encounter his name through species descriptions and natural history history.