Mark Catesby was a naturalist, influenced by John Ray and Samuel Dale. In 1712 he went to Virginia and collected botanical specimens, gaining the attention of Dr Sherard and Sloane upon his return in 1719. In 1725 he explored the Bahamas and published his ‘The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands’ a year later.
Reference:
F. Nigel Hepper, ‘Catesby, Mark (1683-1749)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, (Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Sept 2012 http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/4882 [accessed 23 July 2013]).
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane: Virtual International Authority File: