CASSINIA 



n- 15KA- 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE DELAWARE VALLEY 

 ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB 



No. V. PHILADELPHIA, PA. 1901 



John Cassin 



BY WITMER STONE 



The majority of America's early ornithologists were in a 

 greater or less degree identified with eastern Pennsylvania, but 

 none of them is so closely associated with Philadelphia and the 

 Academy of Natural Sciences as John Cassin. Born in the 

 vicinity of Chester, on the Delaware, some ten miles below Phila- 

 delphia, September 6, 1813, he removed to the latter city at the 

 age of twenty-one, and engaged in business, eventually becom- 

 ing the head of the lithographing establishment where many of 

 the plates illustrating his new birds were afterwards produced. 

 He came of a Quaker family, although he was apparently not 

 an active member of this Society. To its influence, however, 

 his interest in natural history may have been due, as the 

 Society of Friends has ever encouraged and fostered such tastes. 



Cassin joined the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadel- 

 phia in September, 1842, and at once became deeply interested 

 in the management of the institution, being elected Curator the 

 same year, and Vice-President in 1864, both of which offices he 

 held to the time of his death, while he served as Corresponding 

 Secretary from 1849 to 1852. 



He seems to have been a good deal of a politician both in 



