BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 



besides acquiring a thorough knowledge of 

 the languages of those countries, gained many 

 scientific as well as social friends, and pur- 

 chased all the books he could get relating in 

 any degree to the fauna of America. 



The Lyceum, having gained much in mem- 

 bership and collections, began the publication 

 of its " Annals," the first volume appearing in 

 1823. This and the four following volumes 

 contain nearly all Mr. Cooper's original arti- 

 cles, though he is quoted in several other 

 scientific books. 



Mr. Cooper's foreign experience enabled 

 him to take up a branch of science at that 

 time scarcely touched except by foreign in- 

 vestigators — namely, the fossil bones of 

 gigantic animals. His conclusions on these 

 fossils are so accurate that later students have 

 found little in them needing correction. 1 2 



The general custom of that day was for 

 naturalists to aim at an acquaintance with all 



1 On the remains of the Megatherium recently discovered 

 in Georgia. 1823. 



2 Account of the discovery of a skeleton of the Mastodon 

 giganteum in New Jersey. (Report of a committee of three, 

 one of whom was Mr. Cooper.) 1824. 



