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Augustus Addison Gould (April 23, 1805 – September 15, 1866) was an American physician, naturalist and the foremost conchologist of his era. He described over 1,100 new species of mollusks, including all known mollusks of Massachusetts and the shells collected by two major government exploring expeditions. He was one of the first naturalists in America to recognize the importance of geographic distribution in the description of species.
Biography
Born in New Ipswich, New Hampshire, he was the son of music teacher Nathaniel Duren Gould (1781–1864) who was also noted for his penmanship.
Physician
He graduated from Harvard College in 1825, and took his degree of doctor of medicine in 1830. "Establishing himself in Boston, he devoted himself to the practice of medicine, and finally rose to high professional rank and social position. He became president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, and was employed in editing the vital statistics of the state." In 1855 he delivered the annual address at the Massachusetts Medical Society, entitled "Search Out the Secrets of Nature." He was its president from 1864 until his death. In 1856, he was appointed visiting physician to the Massachusetts General Hospital.
Naturalist
"As a conchologist his reputation was worldwide, and he was one of the pioneers of the science in America. His writings fill many pages of the publications of the Boston Society of Natural History (see vol. xi. p. 197 for a list) and other periodicals. He published with Louis Agassiz the Principles of Zoology (2nd ed. 1851)."