Spencer Fullerton Baird
American naturalist, ornithologist, ichthyologist, herpetologist, and museum curator / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Spencer Fullerton Baird (/ˈbɛərd/; February 3, 1823 – August 19, 1887) was an American naturalist, ornithologist, ichthyologist, herpetologist, and museum curator. Baird was the first curator to be named at the Smithsonian Institution. He eventually served as assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian from 1850 to 1878, and as Secretary from 1878 until 1887. He was dedicated to expanding the natural history collections of the Smithsonian which he increased from 6,000 specimens in 1850 to over 2 million by the time of his death.[2] He published over 1,000 works during his lifetime.[1]
Spencer Fullerton Baird | |
|---|---|
 Spencer Fullerton Baird, as photographed by William Bell, 1867 | |
| 2nd Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution | |
| In office 1878–1887 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph Henry |
| Succeeded by | Samuel Pierpont Langley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 3, 1823 Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.[1] |
| Died | August 19, 1887 (aged 64) Woods Hole, Massachusetts, U.S.[2] |
| Resting place | Oak Hill Cemetery Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Known for | Naturalist Ornithologist Ichthyologist Herpetologist Curator |