Thomas Say (June 27, 1787 – October 10, 1834) was an American

entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...

, conchologist, and

herpetologist Herpetology (from Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians (gymnophiona)) and rept ...

. His studies of insects and shells, numerous contributions to scientific journals, and scientific expeditions to Florida, Georgia, the Rocky Mountains, Mexico, and elsewhere made him an internationally known naturalist. Say has been called the father of American descriptive entomology and American conchology. He served as librarian for the

Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, formerly the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, is the oldest natural science research institution and museum in the Americas. It was founded in 1812, by many of the leading nat ...

, curator at the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS), founded in 1743 in Philadelphia, is a scholarly organization that promotes knowledge in the sciences and humanities through research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and communit ...

(elected in 1817), and professor of natural history at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

Early life and education

Born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

into a prominent

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

family, Thomas Say was the great-grandson of John Bartram, and the great-nephew of

William Bartram William Bartram (April 20, 1739 – July 22, 1823) was an American botanist, ornithologist, natural historian and explorer. Bartram was the author of an acclaimed book, now known by the shortened title ''Bartram's Travels'', which chronicled ...

. His father, Dr.

Benjamin Say Benjamin Say (August 28, 1755 – April 23, 1813) was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Benjamin Say was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Thomas (1709–1796) and Rebekah Atkinson Budd Say (1716–1795), He m ...

, was brother-in-law to another Bartram son, Moses Bartram. The Say family had a house, "The Cliffs" at Gray's Ferry, adjoining the Bartram family farms in Kingessing township, Philadelphia County. As a boy, Say often visited the family garden,

Bartram's Garden Bartram's Garden is a 50-acre public garden and National Historic Landmark in Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, situated on the banks of the Tidal Schuylkill River. It is a venue for art, an access to the tidal river and wetlands, an outdoor ...

, where he frequently took butterfly and beetle specimens to his great-uncle William.

Career

He became an apothecary. A self-taught naturalist, Say helped found the

Academy of Natural Sciences The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, formerly the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, is the oldest natural science research institution and museum in the Americas. It was founded in 1812, by many of the leading natura ...

of Philadelphia (ANSP) in 1812. In 1816, he met

Charles Alexandre Lesueur Charles Alexandre Lesueur (1 January 1778 in Le Havre – 12 December 1846 in Le Havre) was a French Natural history, naturalist, artist, and explorer. He was a prolific natural-history collector, gathering many type specimens in Australia, ...

, a French naturalist, malacologist, and ichthyologist who soon became a member of the Academy and served as its curator until 1824. At the Academy, Say began his work on what he would publish as ''American Entomology''. To collect insects, he made numerous expeditions to frontier areas, risking American Indian attacks and hazards of traveling in wild countryside. In 1818, Say accompanied his friend

William Maclure William Maclure (27 October 176323 March 1840) was an Americanized Scottish geologist, cartographer and philanthropist. He is known as the 'father of American geology'. As a social experimenter on new types of community life, he collaborated ...

, then the ANSP president and father of American

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...

; Gerhard Troost, a geologist; and other members of the Academy on a geological expedition to the off-shore islands of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

and

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, then a Spanish colony. In 1819–20, Major

Stephen Harriman Long Stephen Harriman Long (December 30, 1784 – September 4, 1864) was an American army civil engineer, explorer, and inventor. As an inventor, he is noted for his developments in the design of steam locomotives. He was also one of the most pro ...

led an exploration to the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...

and the tributaries of the Missouri River, with Say as zoologist. Their official account of this expedition included the first descriptions of the

coyote The coyote (''Canis latrans'') is a species of canis, canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the wolf, and slightly smaller than the closely related eastern wolf and red wolf. It fills much of the same ecologica ...

swift fox The swift fox (''Vulpes velox'') is a small light orange-tan fox around the size of a domestic cat found in the western grasslands of North America, such as Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. It also lives in southern Ma ...

western kingbird The western kingbird (''Tyrannus verticalis'') is a large tyrant flycatcher found throughout western environments of North America, as far south as Mexico. Description Adults are a combination of both gray and yellow plumage, along with crimson f ...

band-tailed pigeon The band-tailed pigeon (''Patagioenas fasciata'') is a medium-sized bird of the Americas. Its closest relatives are the Chilean pigeon and the ring-tailed pigeon, which form a clade of ''Patagioenas'' with a terminal tail band and iridescent p ...

rock wren The rock wren (''Salpinctes obsoletus'') is a small songbird of the wren family native to western North America, Mexico and Central America. It is the only species in the genus ''Salpinctes''. Description Measurements: * Length: 4.9-5.9 i ...

, Say's phoebe,

lesser goldfinch The lesser goldfinch (''Spinus psaltria'') is a very small songbird of the Americas. Together with its relatives the American goldfinch and Lawrence's goldfinch, it forms the New World goldfinch clade in the genus '' Spinus''. As is the case f ...

lark sparrow The lark sparrow (''Chondestes grammacus'') is a fairly large New World sparrow. It is the only member of the genus ''Chondestes''. Distribution and habitat It breeds in southern Canada, much of the United States, and northern Mexico. It is much ...

lazuli bunting The lazuli bunting (''Passerina amoena'') is a North American songbird named for the gemstone lapis lazuli. Description Measurements: * Length: 5.1-5.9 in (13-15 cm) * Weight: 0.5-0.6 oz (13-18 g) * Wingspan: 8.7 in (22 cm) The male i ...

orange-crowned warbler The orange-crowned warbler (''Leiothlypis celata'') is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. Taxonomy The orange-crowned warbler was formally described in 1822 by the American zoologist Thomas Say under the binomial name ''Sylvia ...

, checkered whiptail lizard,

collared lizard Collared lizard may refer to: *Any member of the North America genus ''Crotaphytus'' * Crotaphytidae, the family of collared lizards of which ''Crotaphytus'' is a member *''Oplurus cuvieri ''Oplurus cuvieri'', commonly known as the collared igu ...

, ground skink,

western rat snake ''Pantherophis obsoletus'', also known commonly as the western rat snake, black rat snake, pilot black snake, or simply black snake, is a nonvenomous species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to central North America. Th ...

, and western ribbon snake. In 1823, Say served as chief zoologist in Long's expedition to the headwaters of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

. He traveled on the "Boatload of Knowledge" to the New Harmony Settlement in

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

(1826–34), a

utopia A utopia ( ) typically describes an imaginary community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its members. It was coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book ''Utopia (book), Utopia'', describing a fictional ...

n society experiment founded by

Robert Owen Robert Owen (; 14 May 1771 – 17 November 1858) was a Welsh textile manufacturer, philanthropist and social reformer, and a founder of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement. He strove to improve factory working conditions, promoted e ...

. Say was accompanied by Maclure, Lesueur, Troost, and

Francis Neef Francis Neef (1770–1854) was an educational reformer and Pedagogy, pedagogue, who founded the first Pestalozzian school in the United States and published the first book in English on the teaching method there. Life Francis Joseph Nicholas Neef ...

, an innovative pedagogue. There he later met

Constantine Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz Constantine Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz (; October 22, 1783September 18, 1840) was a French 19th-century polymath born near Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire and self-educated in France. He traveled as a young man in the United States, ultimat ...

, another naturalist. On January 4, 1827, Say secretly married Lucy Way Sistare, whom he had met as one of the passengers to New Harmony, near the settlement. She was an artist and illustrator of specimens, as in the book ''American Conchology'', and was elected as the first woman member of the Academy of Natural Sciences. At New Harmony, Thomas Say carried on his monumental work describing insects and mollusks, leading to two classic works: *''American Entomology, or Descriptions of the Insects of North America'', 3 volumes, Philadelphia, 1824–1828. *''American Conchology, or Descriptions of the Shells of North America Illustrated From Coloured Figures From Original Drawings Executed from Nature'', Parts 1–6, New Harmony, 1830–1834; Part 7, Philadelphia, 1836. During their years in New Harmony, Say and Lesueur experienced considerable difficulties. Say was a modest and unassuming man, who lived frugally like a

hermit A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Ch ...

. He abandoned commercial activities and devoted himself to his studies, making difficulties for his family. Say died, apparently from

typhoid fever Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several ...

, in New Harmony on 10 October 1834, when he was 47 years old.

Legacy and honors

Say described more than 1,000 new species of

beetle Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 describ ...

s, more than 400 species of

insect Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body ( head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs ...

s of other orders, and seven well-known species of snakes. Other zoologists honored him by naming several

taxa In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam ...

after him: *''

Dyspanopeus sayi ''Dyspanopeus sayi'' is a species of mud crab that is native to the Atlantic coast of North America. It has also become established outside its native range, living in Swansea Docks since 1960, the Mediterranean Sea since the 1970s, the North ...

'' ( S. I. Smith, 1869) – Say's mud crab *'' Portunus sayi'' (Gibbes, 1850) – a swimming crab of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Portunidae Portunidae is a family of crabs which contains the swimming crabs. Description Portunid crabs are characterised by the flattening of the fifth pair of legs into broad paddles, which are used for swimming. This ability, together with their strong ...

*''

Porcellana sayana ''Porcellana sayana'' is a species of porcelain crab that lives in the western Atlantic Ocean, often as a commensal of hermit crabs. It is red with white spots, and has a characteristic bulge behind each claw. Distribution ''Porcellana sayana'' ...

'' (Leach, 1820) – an Atlantic porcelain crab *'' Lanceola sayana'' ( Bovallius, 1885) – an

amphipod Amphipoda is an order of malacostracan crustaceans with no carapace and generally with laterally compressed bodies. Amphipods range in size from and are mostly detritivores or scavengers. There are more than 9,900 amphipod species so far descr ...

from the family Lanceolidae *'' Calliostoma sayanum'' Dall, 1889 – a

sea snail Sea snail is a common name for slow-moving marine gastropod molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguished from snails primarily by the ...

in the family

Calliostomatidae Calliostomatidae is a family of sea snails within the superfamily Trochoidea and the clade Vetigastropoda.Gofas, S. (2013). Calliostomatidae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdeta ...

*''

Diodora sayi ''Diodora sayi'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family (biology), family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets. Description Distribution References

Fissurellidae Gastropods described in 1889 {{Fissurelli ...

'' (Dall, 1899) – a sea snail in the family

Fissurellidae Fissurellidae, common name the keyhole limpets and slit limpets, is a taxonomic family of limpet-like sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Vetigastropoda.Rosenberg, G. (2012). Fissurellidae. Accessed through: World Register of Mari ...

*''

Oliva sayana The lettered olive, ''Oliva sayana'', is a species of large predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Olividae, the olive shells, olive snails, or olives. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Oliva sayana Ravenel, 1834 ...

'' Ravenel, 1834 – a sea snail in the family

Olividae Olive snails, also known as olive shells and olives, scientific name Olividae, are a taxonomic family of medium to large predatory sea snails with smooth, shiny, elongated oval-shaped shells.Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S. (2012). Olividae. Accessed thr ...

*''

Sayella ''Sayella'' is a genus of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.Bouchet, P. (2011). ''Sayella'' Dall, 1885. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species ...

'' Dall, 1885 – a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of sea snails in the family

Pyramidellidae Pyramidellidae, common name the pyram family, or pyramid shells, is a voluminous taxonomic family of mostly small and minute ectoparasitic sea snails, marine heterobranch gastropod molluscs. The great majority of species of pyrams are micromol ...

*'' Propeamussium sayanum'' (Dall, 1886) – a saltwater clam in the family

Propeamussiidae Propeamussiidae, sometimes referred to as glass scallops mud scallops or mud pectens, are a taxonomic family of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the order Pectinida. As members of the superfamily Pectinoidea, they are closely relat ...

*'' Appalachina sayana'' (

Pilsbry Henry Augustus Pilsbry (7 December 1862 – 26 October 1957) was an American biologist, malacologist and carcinologist, among other areas of study. He was a dominant presence in many fields of invertebrate taxonomy for the better part of a centu ...

''in'' Pilsbry & Ferriss, 1906) – a

land snail A land snail is any of the numerous species of snail that live on land, as opposed to the sea snails and freshwater snails. ''Land snail'' is the common name for terrestrial gastropod mollusks that have shells (those without shells are known as ...

in the family

Polygyridae Polygyridae is a family of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Helicoidea. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Polygyridae Pilsbry, 1895. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species ...

*''Pituophis catenifer sayi'' (

Schlegel Schlegel is a German occupational surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Anthony Schlegel (born 1981), former American football linebacker * August Wilhelm Schlegel (1767–1845), German poet, older brother of Friedrich * Brad Schlege ...

, 1837) – the

bullsnake The bullsnake (''Pituophis catenifer sayi)'' is a large, nonvenomous, colubrid snake. It is a subspecies of the gopher snake (''Pituophis catenifer''). The bullsnake is one of the largest/longest snakes of North America and the United States, re ...

Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . ("Say", p. 234). *'' Sayornis'' ( Bonaparte, 1854) – a genus in the

tyrant flycatcher The tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae) are a family of passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America. They are considered the largest family of birds known to exist in the world, with more than 400 species. They are the most dive ...

family *'' Sciurus niger rufiventer'' - Say's squirrel *'' Chlorochroa sayi'' ( Stål, 1872) - Say's stink bug, a species of stink bug

Published works

* Say, T. 1817. Description of seven species of American fresh water and land shells, not noticed in the systems. Part 1. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1(1), 13–16.
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* Say, T. 1817. Description of seven species of American fresh water and land shells, not noticed in the systems. Part 2. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1(2), 17–18.
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* Say, T. 1817. Descriptions of several new species of North American insects. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1(2), 19–23.
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* Say, T. 1817. Some account of the insect known by the name of Hessian Fly, and of a parasitic insect that feeds on it. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1(3), 43–48.
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* Say, T. 1817. On a new genus of the Crustacea, and the species on which it is established. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1(4), 49–52. (Read July 8, 1817) (BHL link) * Say, T. 1817. An account of the Crustacea of the United States. Part 1. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1(4), 57–64. (Read August 5, 1817)
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* Say, T. 1817. An account of the Crustacea of the United States. Part 2. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1(5), 65–83. (Read August 5, 1817)
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* Say, T. 1817. An account of the Crustacea of the United States. Part 3. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1(6), 97–101. (Read August 5, 1817)
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* Say, T. 1817. Description of new species of land and fresh water shells of the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1(6), 123–126. (Read October 28, 1817)
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* Say, T. 1817. An account of the Crustacea of the United States. Part 4. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1(6), 155–169. (Read November 4, 1817)
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* Say, T. 1818. An account of the Crustacea of the United States. Part 5. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1, 235–253. (Read November 11, 1817)
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* Say, T. 1818. Account of two new genera, and several new species, of fresh water and land snails. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1(7), 276–284. (Read May 25, 1818)
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* Say, T. 1818. An account of the Crustacea of the United States. Part 6. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1, 313–319. (Read June 10, 1818)
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* Say, T. 1818. An account of the Crustacea of the United States. Part 7. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1, 374–401. (Read June 10, 1818)
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* Say, T. 1818. Notes on Professor Green's paper on the Amphibia, published in the September number of this journal. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1(7), 405–407. (Read October 6, 1818)
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* Say, T. 1818. An account of the Crustacea of the United States. Part 8. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1, 423–441. (Read June 10, 1818)
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* Say, T. 1818. Observations on some of the animals described in the account of the Crustacea of the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1, 442–444.
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* Say, T. 1818. Appendix to the account of the Crustacea of the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1, 445–458. (Read December 1, 1818)
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* Say, T. 1818. Description of a new genus of fresh water bivalve shells. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1, 459–460.
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* Say, T. 1818. Description of three new species of the genus ''Naesa''. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 1, 482–485.
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* Say, T. 1821. Descriptions of the Thysanourae of the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 2, 11–13.
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* Say, T. 1821. Descriptions of the Arachnides of the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 2, 59–81.
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* Say, T. 1821. Descriptions of the Myriapodae of the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 2, 102–113.
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* Say, T. 1821. Descriptions of Univalve shells of the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 2, 149–178.
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* Say, T. 1823. Descriptions of Dipterous insects of the United States. Part 1. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 3(1), 9–53.
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* Say, T. 1823. Descriptions of Dipterous insects of the United States. Part 2. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 3(1), 73–104.
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* Say, T. 1823. Descriptions of Coleopterous insects. Part 1. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 3(1), 139–215.
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* Say, T. 1824. Descriptions of Coleopterous insects. Part 2. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 3(2), 238–281.
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* Say, T. 1824. Descriptions of Coleopterous insects. Part 3. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 3(2), 298–330.
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* Say, T. 1824. Descriptions of Coleopterous insects. Part 4. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 3(2), 403–462.
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* Say, T. 1824. Descriptions of Coleopterous insects, collected in the late expedition to the Rocky Mountains. Part 1. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 4(1), 83–99.
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* Say, T. 1824. An account of some of the fossil shells of Maryland. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 4(1), 124–154.
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* Say, T. 1825. On the fresh water and land Tortoises of the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 4(2), 203–219.
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* Say, T. 1825. Description of three new species of Coluber, inhabiting the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 4(2), 237–241.
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* Say, T. 1825. On two genera and several species of Crinoidea. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 4(2), 289–295.
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* Say, T. 1825. Descriptions of new Hemipterous insects, collected in the expedition to the Rocky Mountains, performed by order of Mr. Calhoun, Secretary of War, under command of Major Long. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 4(2), 307–344. (BH
link
* Say, T., and G. Ord. 1825. Description of a new species of Mammalia, whereon a genus is supposed to be founded. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 4(2), 352–355.
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* Say, T. 1825. Descriptions of new species of Hister and Hololepta, inhabiting the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 5(1), 32–47.
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* Say, T. 1825. Descriptions of some new species of fresh water and land shells, inhabiting the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 5(1), 119–131.
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* Say, T. 1825. On the species of the Linnaean genus Asterias, inhabiting the coast of the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 5(1), 141–153.
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* Say, T. 1825. Descriptions of new species of Coleopterous insects inhabiting the United States. Part 1. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 5(1), 160–204.
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* Say, T. 1827. Descriptions of marine shells, recently discovered on the coast of the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 5(2), 207–220.
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* Say, T. 1827. On the species of the Linnaean genus Echinus, inhabiting the coast of the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 5(2), 225–228.
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* Say, T. 1827. Descriptions of new species of Coleopterous insects inhabiting the United States. Part 2. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 5(2), 237–283.
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* Say, T. 1827. Descriptions of new species of Coleopterous insects inhabiting the United States. Part 3. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 5(2), 293–316.
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* Say, T. 1829. Description of new Dipterous insects of the United States. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 6(1), 149–178.
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* Say, T. 1830. Description of North American Dipterous insects. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 6(2), 183–188.
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* Say, T. 1830. Description of new North American Hemipterous insects. Part 1. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 6(2), 235–244.
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* Say, T. 1830. Description of new North American Hemipterous insects. Part 2. ''Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 6(2), 299–314.
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Notes

References

* *

External links

*
Thomas Say (1787–1834), father of American entomology
Indiana University

* Paintings of The Cliffs, the Say family home on the Schuylkill River at Gray's Ferry, by David Kennedy **
The Cliffs, the Country Residence of the Say Family for Nearly 40 Years Sketched After Brenton by Kennedy in 1836
*
The Cliffs" Country Residence of Benjamin Say at Gray's Ferry

Tomb of Thomas Say, The Naturalist Historical Society of PennsylvaniaPlan of Say Burial Ground
at 3rd and Arch Streets in Philadelphia {{DEFAULTSORT:Say, Thomas American naturalists American entomologists American malacologists 1787 births 1834 deaths American taxonomists American Quakers Scientists from Philadelphia 19th-century American zoologists