BANKS, SIR JOSEPH, BART. English natu ralist, was born in London, on Feb. 13, 1743. In 1764 he came into possession of the ample fortune left by his father, William Banks, M.P. In 1766 he made his first bcientific expedition to Newfoundland and Labrador, bringing back a rich collection of plants and insects. Shortly after his return, Captain Cook was sent by the government to observe the transit of Venus in the Pacific ocean, and Banks joined the expedition in the "En deavour," which was fitted out at his own expense. He was anxious to join Cook's second expedition but circumstances obliged him to relinquish his purpose. He, however, employed the assistants and materials he had collected in a voyage to Ice land in 5772. In 1778 Banks succeeded Sir John Pringle as presi dent of the Royal Society and held the office until his death. In 1781 he was made a baronet; in 1795 he received the order of the Bath. He bequeathed his collections of books and botanical speci mens to the British Museum.
See J. H. Maiden, Sir Joseph Banks 0909).