WILLIAM COOPER 



cupied, Mr. Cooper did not undertake any 

 original work in it ; though glad to contribute 

 his share to the completion of the " Flora of 

 North America," by collections, of plants and 

 notes made in various portions of the United 

 States. His only published article on Botany 

 is named "Note on the habitat of Schizcea 

 ftusilla" — a plant first discovered in 1817 by 

 Pursh, in New Jersey. 



Astragalus Cooperi, Gray, was also discov- 

 ered by Cooper at Niagara Falls, and many 

 other contributions from new localities are 

 attributed to him. 



By the advice and encouragement of Dr. 

 Mitchill, he resolved to make a tour in Europe 

 to prepare himself for the study of Zoology 

 and allied sciences more thoroughly than any 

 American had yet done. 



He went abroad in 182 1, and spent more 

 than two years examining museums and libra- 

 ries. He was elected the first American 

 member of the Zoological Society of London ; 

 attended the lectures of Cuvier and the other 

 great teachers of the Jardin des Plantes in 

 Paris ; spent several months in Italy, and, 



