William Swainson, an English naturalist, born in Liverpool, Oct. 8, 1789. He served in the Mediterranean in the army commissariat department from 1807 to 1815, then travelled in South America with Koster, the German naturalist, and on his return settled in London. In 1820 he commenced the publication of "Zoological Illustrations, or original Figures and Descriptions of new, rare, or interesting Animals," since republished in 6 vols. 8vo; and in 1821 of "Exotic Conchology" (4to; new ed., edited by S. Hawley, 1841). He has also produced a "Naturalist's Guide for collecting and preserving all Subjects of Natural History and Botany," etc. (1822); 12 volumes on natural history in Lardncr's " Cabinet Cyclopaedia;" two volumes on the "Birds of Western Africa" and one on the "Fly Catchers," in Jardine's "Naturalist's Library" (1837-'8); "A Treatise on Malacology, or the Natural Classification of Shells and Shell Fish" (1840); and a series of "Ornithological Drawings," being selections of Brazilian and Mexican birds (1834-'41). He assisted Sir John Richardson in the preparation of that part of his "Fauna Boreali-Americana" which relates to North American birds, and in connection with Mr. Shuckard prepared in 1840 " The History and Natural Arrangement of Insects." In 1841 he emigrated to New Zealand, and since his residence there he has published several works on its social and political condition, and on the natural history of that colony and Tasmania.