Dana, JAMES DWIGHT

Dana, JAMES DWIGHT, an American mineralogist and geologist, was born at Utica, New York, 12th February 1813. He graduated at Yale College in 1833, and was sent out in 1838 as a scientific observer in the United States exploring expedition, under Wilkes, visiting the Antarctic and Pacific. During the course of this expedition Dana's ship was wrecked. He was afterwards associated with his father-in-law, the elder Silliman, in the editorship of the American Journal of Science. In 1846 he was elected professor of Natural History and Geology in Yale College. Among his works are a System of Mineralogy (1837), a Manual of Mineralogy (1848), two treatises on Corals, a Text-book of Geology (1864), Hawaiian Volcanoes (1890), and many highly valued reports on geological, mineralogical, and zoological subjects. He died on the 14th April 1895. Dr Dana's labours gained him world-wide distinction, and he was made an honorary member or fellow of many of the prominent scientific societies of Europe and America.