The Field Naturalist : John Macoun, The Geological Survey, And Natural Science

John Macoun (1831–1920) was an Irish-born naturalist who became one of Canada’s most energetic field collectors during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The Field Naturalist presents a detailed narrative of Macoun’s life and scientific career, tracing his path from immigrant teacher to senior member of the Geological Survey of Canada. The book recounts his role in prairie exploration, his botanical and zoological collecting, the establishment of federal scientific collections, and his contributions to early national museum development. Waiser also outlines Macoun’s major expeditions, his prolific specimen gathering, and his influence on governmental understandings of western Canada’s natural resources. 

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