HORSEFIELD, Thomas, American uralist and explorer: b. Bethlehem, Pa., 12 May 1773; d. London, England, 1866. He was graduated in medicine at the University Pennsylvania, and served as "medical appren tice in the Pennsylvania Hospital from 1794 99, being the fifth interne in the hospital in the order of appointment. In October 1799 he ac cepted service as surgeon on the China, about to sail for Java. He returned in the latter part of 1800, but in 1801 went again to Java for the purpose of thoroughly exploring the island, and was commissioned as regimental surgeon by the Dutch Colonial government. From 1802 he de voted himself to the thorough examination of the flora, fauna and geology of the island, at first• under the auspices of the Dutch govern ment, and, when possession of Java was taken by the English, under the especial patronage of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the lieutenant governor. A warm friendship, due to kindred tastes, sprang up between Horsefield and his celebrated patron, and, when the English of Java ceased and Sir Stamford Raffles re turned to England, Horsefield accompanied him bringing with him the collections he had made, which were placed in the museum of the East India Company in London, of which he was presently made the curator, a position which he held for nearly 50 years until his death. Horsefield, by his explorations and
writings, laid foundations for our knowledge of the natural history of the far East. He contributed while in Java many important papers to the publications of the Batavian Soci ety of Arts and Sciences. In 1824 he gave to the world his great work entitled