14 December 1867 – 7 May 1942
Born: Warren, Rhode Island.
Died: Urbana, Illinois.
Education: Brown University. Jessup Scholar, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia.
Occupation: Malacologist; Ecologist. Worked at Ward’s Natural History Establishment, N.Y. Curator of Zoology at the Field Museum, Chicago 1894. Curator at the Chicago Academy of Science 1894-1914. Curator at the University of Illinois Museum of Natural History 1918-1939. President of AMU 1941-1942.
Research Interests: Unionidae, Lymnaidae, Planorbidae, landsnails, Pleistocene Mollusca.
Data from: Abbott, R.T., and M.E. Young (eds.). 1973. American Malacologists: A national register of professional and amateur malacologists and private shell collectors and biographies of early American mollusk workers born between 1618 and 1900. American Malacologists, Falls Church, Virginia. Consolidated/Drake Press, Philadelphia. 494 pp.
Other References: Van Cleave, H.J. 1943. Frank Collins Baker (December 14, 1867 to May 7, 1942). Nautilus 56(3):97-99.
Published hundreds of papers on marine, freshwater and land mollusks.
Partial Bibliography
Baker, F.C. 1890. A catalogue of conchological abbreviations. Nautilus 4(8):89-91, 4(10):115-117.
Baker, F.C. 1891. Notes on a collection of shells from southern Mexico. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 43:45-55.
Baker, F.C. 1896. On the correct position of the aperature in Planorbis. Journal of the Cincinnati Society of Natural History 19(1):45-48.
Baker, F.C. 1897. On a collection of mollusks from Grand Tower, Illinois. Nautilus 11(3):28-30.
Baker, F.C. 1897. Collecting about Chicago. Sports Afield 19(2):??
Baker, F.C. 1897. Critical notes on the Muricidae. Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 7(16):371-391.
Baker, F.C. 1898. The Mollusca of the Chicago area, Part I: The Pelecypoda. Bulletin of the Chicago Academy of Science 3(1):1-130 + 27 plates.
Baker, F.C. 1898. A day on the Chicago drainage canal. Nautilus 12(6):63-65.
Baker, F.C. 1898. A new Sphaerium. Nautilus 12(6):65-66.
Baker, F.C. 1898. The molluscan fauna of western New York. Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 8(5):71-94 + 1 plate.
Baker, F.C. 1899. Notes on the mollusks of Lilycash Creek. Nautilus 12(3):30-31.
Baker, F.C. 1899. Notes on the Mollusca of Owasco Lake, N.Y. Nautilus 13(5):57-59.
Baker, F.C. 1899. Collecting fresh-water shells. Popular Science 33(5):99-100.
Baker, F.C. 1899. Study of fresh-water mussels. Popular Science 33:194-197.
Baker, F.C. 1900. The gross anatomy of Lymnaea emarginata Say, variety Mighelsi Binney. Bulletin of the Chicago Academy of Science 2(3):191-211.
Baker, F.C. 1900. On a collection of fresh-water shells from Rhode Island. Nautilus 13(10):112-113.
Baker, F.C. 1900. A revision of the Physae of Northeastern Illinois. Nautilus 14(2):16-24.
Baker, F.C. 1901. The molluscan fauna of the Genesee River. American Naturalist 35(416):659-664.
Baker, F.C. 1901. The digitations of the mantle in Physa. Bulletin of the Chicago Academy of Science 2(4):225-228.
Baker, F.C. 1901. Description of a new species of Limnaea. Bulletin of the Chicago Academy of Science 2(4):229-230 + 1 plate.
Baker, F.C. 1901. New varieties of fresh water shells. Nautilus 15(2):17-18.
Baker, F.C. 1901. Lymnaea auricularia in America. Nautilus 15(5):59.
Baker, F.C. 1901. A revision of the Limnaeas of Northern Illinois. Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 11(1):1-24 + 1 plate.
Baker, F.C. 1901. Some interesting molluscan monstrosities. Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 11(8):143-146 + 1 plate.
Baker, F.C. 1902. The Mollusca of the Chicago Area. Part II. The Gastropoda. Bulletin of the Chicago Academy of Science 3(2):131-418 + 9 plates.
Baker, F.C. 1902. Planorbis bicarinatus striatus, n. var. Nautilus 15(10):120.
Baker, F.C. 1903. Shell collecting on the Mississippi. Nautilus 16(9):102-105.
Baker, F.C. 1904. The mollusks of Cedar Lake, Indiana. Nautilus 17(10):112-113.
Baker, F.C. 1904. The molluscan fauna of the Dells of Wisconsin. Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 14(2):99-105.
Baker, F.C. 1905. Notes on a collection of shells from Bass Lake, Indiana. Nautilus 19(3):27-28.
Baker, F.C. 1905. The molluscan fauna of McGregor, Iowa. Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 15(3):249-258.
Baker, F.C. 1906. A catalogue of the Mollusca of Illinois. Bulletin of the Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History 7(6):53-136 + 1 map.
Baker, F.C. 1906. Lymnaea hinkleyi n. sp. Nautilus 19(12):142-143.
Baker, F.C. 1906. Lymnaea danielsi sp. nov. Nautilus 20(5):55-56.
Baker, F.C. 1906. A new Sphaerium from Illinois. Nautilus 22(2):21-22.
Baker, F.C. 1906. Notes on a collection of mollusks from the vicinity of Alpena, Michigan. Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 16(2):1-15 + 1 plate.
Baker, F.C. 1907. Description of new species of Lymnaea. Nautilus 20(11):125-127.
Baker, F.C. 1908. The Natural History Survey of the Chicago Academy of Sciences. Proccedings of the American Association of Museums 2:15-19.
Baker, F.C. 1909. A new species of Lymnaea. Nautilus 22(12):140-141.
Baker, F.C. 1909. Mollusks from Kansas and Oklahoma. Nautilus 23(7):91-94.
Baker, F.C. 1910. The ecology of the Skokie Marsh area, with special reference to the Mollusca. Bulletin of the Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History 8(4):441-499 + 20 plates.
Baker, F.C. 1910. Description of a new Lymnaea. Nautilus 24(5):58-60.
Baker, F.C. 1911. The Lymnaeidae of North and Middle America. Recent and fossil. Chicago Academy of Sciences Special Publication No. 3. xvi,1-539, pls. 1-58.
Baker, F.C. 1911. The molluscan fauna of Tomahawk Lake, Wisconsin. Transactions of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters 17(1):200-246.
Baker, F.C. 1912. Post-glacial life of Willmette Bay, glacial Lake Chicago. Transactions of the Illinois Academy of Science 4:9 pp.
Baker, F.C. 1912. Recent additions to the catalog of Illinois Mollusca. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science 5(?):143-145.
Baker, F.C. 1915. Pleistocene mollusks from Illinois. Nautilus 29(8):87-88.
Baker, F.C. 1916. The freshwater mollusca of Oneida Lake, New York. Nautilus 30(1):5-9.
Baker, F.C. 1916. Description of a new variety of Lampsilis from Oneida Lake with notes on the L. luteola group. Nautilus 30(7):74-77.
Baker, F.C. 1916. The relation of mollusks to fish in Oneida Lake. Technical Publication No. 4. New York State College of Forestry and Syracuse University 16(21):1-366.
Baker, F.C. 1918. Description of a new variety of fresh-water mussel from Oneida Lake, N. Y. Appendix to “The productivity of invertebrate fish food on the bottom of Oneida Lake, with special reference to mollusks.”Technical Publication No. 9 of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse. 43(2):247-248.
Baker, F.C. 1918. The relation of shellfish to fish in Oneida Lake, New York. Circular No. 21 of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University. 17(27):1-34 + 16 figures.
Baker, F.C. 1918. Further notes on the Mollusca of Oneida Lake, New York: the mollusks of Lower South Bay. Nautilus 31(3):81-93.
Baker, F.C. 1918. The productivity of invertebrate fish food on the bottom of Oneida Lake, with special reference to mollusks. New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse, Technical Publication. 9:1-233.
Baker, F.C. 1919. Mollusca of the Crocker Land Expedition to Northwest Greenland and Grinnell Land. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 41(11):479-517.
Baker, F.C. 1919. Freshwater Mollusca from Colorado and Alberta. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 41(13):527-539.
Baker, F.C. 1920. Pleistocene Mollusca from Indiana and Ohio. Journal of Geology 28:439-457.
Baker, F.C. 1920. A new Planorbis from Illinois. Nautilus 33(4):123-125.
Baker, F.C. 1920. The life of the Pleistocene or glacial period as recorded in the deposits laid down by the great ice sheets. University of Illinois Bulletin 17(41):xiv-475 + 57 plates.
Baker, F.C. 1921. New forms of Pleistocene mollusks from Illinois. Nautilus 35(1):22-24.
Baker, F.C. 1921. Preparing collections of the Mollusca for exhibition and study. Transactions of the American Microscopical Society 40(1):31-46.
Baker, F.C. 1922. The molluscan fauna of the Big Vermilion River, Illinois. With special reference to its modification as the result of pollution by sewage and manufacturing wastes. Illinois Biological Monographs 7(2):105-224 + 15 plates.
Baker, F.C. 1922. New species and varieties of Mollusca from Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin, with new records from this state. Nautilus 35(4):130-133, 36(1):19-21.
Baker, F.C. 1923. A new Anodontoides from Wisconsin. Nautilus 36(4):123-125.
Baker, F.C. 1923. The use of molluscan shells by the Cahokia mound builders. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science 16:328-334.
Baker, F.C. 1924. Bottom and shore fauna in relation to fisheries (Review). Ecology 5(4):416-418.
Baker, F.C. 1926. Changes in the bottom fauna of the Illinois River due to pollutional causes (Review). Ecology 7(2):229-230.
Baker, F.C. 1926. The naiad fauna of the Rock River system: A study of the law of stream distribution. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science 19(?):103-112.
Baker, F.C. 1926. Nomenclatorial notes on American fresh water mollusca. Transactions of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters 22:193-205.
Baker, F.C. 1927. On the division of the Sphaeriidae into two subfamilies: and the descriptions of a new genus of Unionidae, with descriptions of new varieties. American Midland Naturalist 10(7):220-223.
Baker, F.C. 1927. Molluscan associations of White Lake, Michigan: A study of a small inland lake from an ecological and systematic viewpoint. Ecology 8(3):353-370.
Baker, F.C. 1928. The fresh water Mollusca of Wisconsin. Part. I. Gastropoda. Bulletin of the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. University of Wisconsin 70(2):i-xx, 1-507, pls. 1-28.
Baker, F.C. 1928. The fresh water Mollusca of Wisconsin. Part II. Pelecypoda. Bulletin of the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. University of Wisconsin. 70(2):vi-495 + 76 plates.
Baker, F.C. 1928. Influence of a changed environment in the formation of new species and varieties. Ecology 9(3):271-283.
Baker, F.C. 1928. Vermont shells. Nautilus 41(3):108.
Baker, F.C. 1928. The Mollusca of Chautauqua Lake, New York, with descriptions of a new variety of Ptychobranchus and of Helisoma. Nautilus 42(2):48-60.
Baker, F.C. 1929. Mollusca from Vermillion and Pelican Lakes, Minnesota, with the description of a new variety of Helisoma corpulenta. Nautilus 42(3):95-97, 42(4):131-136.
Baker, F.C. 1930. The use of animal life by the mound building Indians of Illinois. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science 22(?):41-64.
Baker, F.C. 1930. The molluscan fauna of the southern part of Lake Michigan and its relationship to glacial Lake Chicago. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science 22:186-194.
Baker, F.C. 1931. Additional notes on animal life associates with the mound builders of Illinois. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science 23(3):231-235.
Baker, F.C. 1931. A restudy of the interglacial molluscan fauna of Toronto, Canada. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science 23:358-366.
Baker, F.C. 1932. Molluscan shells from the Etowah Mounds. Etowah Papers., Department of Archaeology, Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass 145-149.
Baker, F.C. 1932. A new race of Polygyra appressa from Illinois. Nautilus 46(2):48-49.
Baker, F.C. 1933. A new Polygyra tridentata from Illinois. Nautilus 47(2):59.
Baker, F.C. 1935. Land and freshwater Mollusca from North Star Lake and vicinity, Itasca County, Minnesota. A systematic and ecological study. American Midland Naturalist 16(3):257-274.
Baker, F.C. 1935. Mollusca from Turkey Run State Park, Indiana. Nautilus 48(3):105-106.
Baker, F.C. 1936. The freshwater mollusc Helisoma corpulentum and its relatives in Canada National Museum of Canada Bulletin 79:1-37.
Baker, F.C. 1936. New Lymnaeidae from the United States and Canada. II. Michigan, Minnesota, and Montana. Nautilus 49(4):127-130.
Baker, F.C. 1937. Mollusca from Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan. Nautilus 50(4):113-117.
Baker, F.C. 1937. A new Pleistocene race of Polygyra appressa. Nautilus 51(1):23-24.
Baker, F.C. 1939. Land and freshwater mollusca from western Ontario. Canadian Journal of Research 17:87-102.
Baker, F.C. 1939. Original copies of Say’s “American Conchology.” Nautilus 52(3):106.
Baker, F C. 1942. Land and fresh water Mollusca of New Hampshire. American Midland Naturalist 27(1):74-85.
Baker, F.C. 1945. The molluscan family Planorbidae. Collation, Revision, and Additions by H.J. Van Cleave. University of Illinois Press. Urbana, Illinois. xxxvi + 530 pp.
Baker, F.C., and F. Smith. 1919. A mussel survey of the upper waters of the Vermilion River with special reference to the Salt Fork. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science 12:129-131.
Baker, F.C., and A.R. Cahn. 1931. Freshwater mollusca from central Ontario. National Museum of Canada Bulletin 67:41-64.