Mearns, Edgar Alexander, 1856-1916

Mearns was a naturalist and U.S. Army surgeon stationed at Forte Verde from 1884 through 1888.

Biographical note: Physician-naturalist, Dr. Edgar Alexander Mearns was stationed at Fort Verde in 1884, where he served as Post Surgeon for four years. He then served in the Midwest and East before being assigned to the Mexican-United States International Boundary Commission as medical officer from 1891 to 1894. He made frequent trips into the field to collect botanical and biological specimens and published his findings widely. The Mearns Quail was named for him.

Naturalist and U.S. Army surgeon.

Edgar Alexander Mearns (1856-1916) was an army surgeon and field naturalist. He developed an early interest in natural history, studying the flora and fauna around his home in Highland Falls, New York. Mearns was educated at Donald Highland Institute, Highland Falls, and in 1881 graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York. In 1883, he was commissioned assistant surgeon in the Medical Corps of the Army and assigned to duty at Fort Verde, Arizona. He was transferred to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, in 1888. In 1891, Mearns was assigned to serve as medical officer with the United States-Mexican International Boundary Survey. From 1892 to 1894, Mearns explored the boundary line from El Paso, Texas, to San Clemente Island and collected 30,000 specimens of flora and fauna which were deposited in the United States National Museum (USNM). From 1894 to 1903, Mearns continued his natural history investigations while stationed at Fort Myer, Virginia; Fort Clark, Texas; Fort Adams, Rhode Island; and Fort Yellowstone. He also conducted field research in the Catskill Mountains and Florida during this period. Between 1903 and 1907, Mearns served two separate tours of duty in the Philippine Islands. While in the Philippines he made natural history collections and participated in expeditions to the three highest mountains in the islands, Mount Apo, Grand Malindang, and Mount Halcon. After returning to the United States, Mearns served at Fort Totten, New York, until his retirement from the Army on January 1, 1909. Later in that year, he was invited by Theodore Roosevelt to accompany the Smithsonian-Roosevelt African Expedition as naturalist. From 1909 to 1910, Mearns explored parts of British East Africa from Mount Kenia to the White Nile. Mearns' last expedition was in 1911, when he served as a naturalist with the Childs Frick Expedition to Africa. Mearns' primary biological interests were ornithology and mammalogy. He was a founding member of the American Ornithologists Union and in 1909 was appointed honorary associate in zoology of the USNM.

Edgar A. Mearns was an army surgeon and field naturalist. A tireless explorer and collector, Mearns contributed the first study collection of birds to the American Museum of Natural History in 1883.

Mearns displayed an early interest in zoology, especially birds, corresponding with other collectors and writing papers. He consulted with J.A. Allen of the AMNH, and spent the winter following his 1881 graduation from medical school setting up the museum's first student collection in vertebrate zoology. After entering the army, Mearns continued to pursue his field work during postings throughout the U.S., and later in Cuba and the Philippines, collecting both zoological and botanical specimens. In 1891, Mearns was appointed to the Mexican-United States International Boundary Commission. With the help of the AMNH and other agencies, Mearns was able to explore the entire boundary line from El Paso, Tex., to the Pacific Coast, by 1894, collecting 30,000 specimens for the U.S. National Museum, his primary affiliation. Following his retirement, Mearns participated in two expeditions to East Africa, in 1909 and 1911.

Biographical Note