Waterton, CHARLES

Waterton, CHARLES, naturalist, born at Walton Hall near Wakefield, 12th June 1782. Of Catholic parentage, he was educated at Stonyhurst, and, devoting himself to researches in natural history, spent the years 1812-23 in America, publishing on his return his most interesting and successful Wanderings in South America (1825; 6th ed. 1866; and often since re-edited by J. G. Wood and others). His Natural History Essays appeared in three series, 1838-57; and a new ed., with Life of the author by Moore, was issued in 1879. Waterton, who was rather a keen observer and racy writer than a scientist of the new school, died 27th May 1865.