BANKS, Sir Josgrn, a zealous naturalist, was b., according to some accounts, at Revesbv Abbey, in Lincolnshire, according too tilers, in London, in Jan., 1743, and d. June lb, 1820. He was deseedded from a family of Swedish origin, which had been settled in England for about 200 years. To this family belongs also John Banks, who made his name known as a writer of tragedies, in the latter half of the 17th century. B. was educated at Eton and Oxford. rn 1763, lie made a voyage to Newfoundland and Labrador, collecting plants; and from 1768 to 1771, be sailed with Cook round the world In the capacity of naturalist, and wrote the botanical descriptions for the first voyages. In the year 1772, he visited the Hebrides and Iceland, whence he brought back a rich treasure of specimens for his studies in natural history. Before this voyage, Staffa was hardly known beyond its immediate vicinity. It was carefully examined by B., and through hint its wonders were made known to the public. In 1777, he was elected president of the royal society, an office which he held for 42 years; and in 1781 he was created a baronet. Ile deserves particular credit for founding and managing the African association; and the colony of Botany bay owed its origin mainly to him. Through his efforts, the bread-fruit tree was transferred from Otaheite to the West Indies, and the mango from Bengal, as well as many of the fruits of Ceylon and Persia.
'_Many naturalists and travelers—Blumenthal, Hornemann, Burckhardt, Mungo Park, and others—were indebted to hint for zealous and disinterested assistance in their labors. During the French .war, B. did much to alleviate the sufferings of all captive men of science, and used his influence with government to procure the restoration of their papers. Cuvier, in his elope on him before the French academy of science, states that no less than ten times had collections, captured by the English, been restored to the Jardin du Rot at Paris through the instrumentality of Banks. No man of science appealed to him in vain for pecuniary assistance; and his splendid library of natural history was at the service of those who desired to consult it. With the exception of articles in magazines, and contributions to the publications of learned societies, especially to the Philosophical Transactions, B. has written nothing but two small works—A Short Account of the Causes of the Diseases in Corn called Blight_iltildme, and Rust, which was printed for his friends in 1803, and for the public in 1805; and Circumstances Relative to Merino Sheep (London, 1609). He left a valuable library, of which an excellent catalogue was made by his friend Dryancler; and a rich collection of specimens in natural hiStory, both of which he bequeathed to the British museum.