Mark Catesby

Mark Catesby (24 March 1682/83 - 23 December 1749) was an English naturalist. Between 1729 and 1747 Catesby published his book "Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands". The book was the first publication to describe flora and fauna of North America. The book described 220 birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, mammals and plants.
Catesby studied natural history in London. Catesby collected seeds in Virginia from 1714 to 1719.
Books.
Myers, Amy R. W. &amp; Pritchard, M. B. (1998) "Empire's nature. Mark Catesby's New World vision," Chapel Hill &amp; London: University of North Carolina Press