1 
Introduction 
The initial systematic investigations of American algae - 
fossil and recent, microscopic and macroscopic, freshwater and 
marine - were conducted between 1837 and 1857 by Jacob Whitman 
Bailey (l8ll-l857) 5 a professor of chemistry, mineralogy and geology 
at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. 
During this period of expanding and intensifying geographical and 
natural history explorations of the North American continent and 
the oceans of the world, Bailey served as the American focus for 
the investigations of the algae, especially the microscopic 
infusoria. Among his microscopic algal collections are samples 
from l) fossil infusorial deposits from all over the North American 
continent, especially the eastern seaboard, 2) the early soundings 
of the U.S. Coast Survey, 3) the Wilkes 1 Exploring Expedition (1838- 
181+2) and the North Pacific Exploring Expedition (1853-1856), 
h) the expeditions opening the American West of Fremont, Williamson, 
Newberry and others, 5) Berryman’s soundings across the North Atlantic 
for laying the first transatlantic telegraph cable, and 6) his own 
extensive collections of algae from Nova Scotia to Florida. In 
addition, he communicated and exchanged samples extensively with 
American and European workers and thus procured a collection representing 
many regions of the globe. By the early l8i*0’s Bailey had earned the 
accolade of "America’s Ehrenberg", and by the mid-l850’s he had amassed 
the finest and most extensive collection of algae in America. About 
two years before his death as a result of his increasingly failing 
health, he began to organize his collection for the use of those that 
would continue his work. Upon his death in 1857 9 Bailey bequeathed 
* 
the collection, both organized and unorganized portions, plus the bulk 
