James Ellsworth De Kay

James Ellsworth De Kay (alternatively spelled DeKay or Dekay) (October 12 1792-November 21 1851) was an American zoologist.

He was born in Lisbon in 1792. When he was two years old, his family moved to New York; both his parents died while he was still quite young. He attended Yale from 1807 to 1812, but did not complete a degree. Later, he studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, receiving his M.D. in 1819.

After his return to the United States, he married Janet Eckford. He then traveled with his father-in-law to Turkey as a ship's physician, and published a book, Sketches of Turkey in 1831 and 1832, about these travels.

He returned to Oyster Bay, New York, giving up medicine for the study of natural history. He became involved with the Geological Survey of New York initiated in 1835. As a result, he published several volumes on the Zoology of New York in 1842-1849. He died at Oyster Bay in 1851.

External links

"James Ellsworth De Kay". Biographical Dictionary of Hypogean Fish Researchers. Retrieved March 23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help) "James Ellsworth De Kay". Museum of History. Retrieved March 23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help) "Early Academic Period". Geologic Overview of the Trenton Group. Retrieved March 23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)