WILLIAM COOPER 



branches of natural science, and it is therefore 

 not surprising that Mr. Cooper attempted the 

 collection and description of all the living ver- 

 tebrate animals of the United States, as well 

 as those in the fossil condition. 



For a person not robust enough to do much 

 field work, he obtained what was then a large 

 and valuable private cabinet, and employed 

 other persons to aid in this work, hoping to 

 make it useful at some future time in working 

 up the Zoology of the country. 



The only new bird he ever described was 

 sent to him by his friend Schoolcraft, 3 the cele- 

 brated writer on Indian history, who was then 

 exploring towards the head of Lake Superior. 

 Extant manuscripts by Mr. Cooper show that 

 he might have anticipated the publication of 

 many discoveries. Too generous in aiding 

 others, he never received the credit his own 

 labors deserved. 



During these years Prince Charles Lucian 

 Bonaparte was in America, and undertook the 



3 Description of a new species of Grosbeak inhabiting the 

 Northwestern Territory of the United States. Fringilla (now 

 Hesperiphond) vespertina. — Annals N. Y. Lyceum, 1825. 



