DANA, JAMES DWIGHT (1813-95). An American geologist and one of the eminent scien tists of the last century. He was born in Utica, N. Y. His father was a successful business man of New England birth, and his mother was Har riet Dwight, daughter of Seth Dwight, of Wil liamsburg, Mass. Dana early became interested in scientific studies. In his school days at Utica be devoted much time to chemical investigations, and he frequently made excursions to distant points for the purpose of collecting minerals. Attracted by the reputation of Professor Silli man, he entered Yale College in 1830, where for three years lie pursued the study of classics, mathematics, and natural sciences. In 1833 Dana received an appointment as instructor in the United States Navy, a position that afforded him an opportunity of European travel. Three years afterwards he returned to Yale and was appointed assistant to Professor Silliman. While at New Haven he published his first important scientific work (The System of Mineralogy), a book that subsequently passed through several editions and attained a reputation in both Europe and America as a standard of reference. From 1838 to 1842 Dans WO • a nwmber of the Wilkes Exploring Expedition sent out by the United States Government. While on this ex pedition, which explored the little known parts of the Pacific Ocean. he had a wide field for scientific discovery and description. The oppor tunities presented were such as few scientists have received: so extensive was the material col lected that, upon his return to the United States, Dana devoted thirteen years of almost constant labor to its study. The result, were published by the Government in three voluminous reports: "Zoi;phytes." in United States Exploring Expe dition (Philadelphia, 1 ti46) ; in United 18tates Exploring Expedition Und.• Wilkes, U. S. N. (Philadelphia, 1841)) : and "('rust:teen," in United States Exploring Expedi tion Under C. Wilkes. l s. . 1 York, 1852. 54). In the work on "Zo6phytes," 230 species were described by Dana for the first time. while the report on "Crustacea" vont:lined descriptions of no less than 658 new species. The intense zeal with which Dana pursued this task seriously impaired his health, and although he was able to accomplish much in after-years, his life forth was a continual struggle against disability.
The value of Dana's services to science received prompt recognition from Yale College, which ap pointed him in 1850 to the professorship of natural history, a position he filled from 1855 to 1S90. During this period his activities found expression in lectures to college students, in sev eral text-books on geology and mineralogy, and in numerous contributions to scientific journals. His work was characterized by keenness of per ception, great powers of analysis, and by vivid imagination. These qualities eminently fitted him for geological investigations, and his dis cussions of the grander features of the earth, such as the form and origin of continents, moun tain-building, and volcanoes, are among the most valuable contributions to scientific literature. From 1846 until his death he served almost con tinuously as editor of the American Journal of Science, in which many of his papers were pub lished. Dana received many marks of honor from American and foreign institutions. Ile was elected president of the American Associa tion for the Advancement of Science in 1S54, and at various times a member of the Royal Society of London. the Institute of France, and the Royal Academy of P,erl in, the Royal Academy of Vienna, and of many other learned societies. In 1872 the Geological Society of London conferred upon him the Wollaston Medal "in acknowledgment of his services to mineralogy and geology." and in 1877 he received the Copley Medal "for his biological, geological, and mineralogical investi gations, earned on through half a century, and for the valuable works in which his conclusions and discoveries have been published." The more important of his contributions to scientific litera ture, in book form. are the reports previously mentioned, and the following: A System of Mineralogy (1837; 4th ed. 1854) ; Manual of Mineralogy (1848; 4th ed. 1854) ; Manual of Ge ology (1862; 4th ed. 1865) : ('orals and Coral Islands (1872; 2d ed. 1890); Text-Book of Geology ( 1864; 4th ed. ISS2) ; The Geological Story Briefly Told (1875). He died in New Haven, April 13, 1895.