1 February 1827 – 27 July 1909
Born: Boston, Massachusetts.
Died: Los Angeles, California.
Occupation: Naturalist. Newspaper Editor. University Administrator. Paleontologist. Malacologist. Editor of Pacific Methodist. Deputy Clerk of the Supreme Court of California, 1862. California State Board Harbor Commision. Secretary, University of California, Berkeley, 1874-1882. Paleontologist, U.S. Geological Survey, 1884. Assistant Curator of Mollusks, USNM, 1885-1892.
Education: Honorary Ph.D., University of California.
Societies / Service:
Travels:
Collection Deposition:
Research Interests: Freshwater and landsnails.
Remarks: Married Mary Ann Libby of Boston, 28 March 1850, one daughter.
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: Dall, W.H. 1909. Dr. R.E.C. Stearns. Nautilus 23(5):70-72 + 1 plate.
Partial Bibliography
Stearns, R.E.C. 1869. Rambles in Florida. American Naturalist 3(8):397-405.
Stearns, R.E.C. 1879. Remarks on fossil shells from the Colorado desert. American Naturalist 13(3):141-154.
Stearns, R.E.C. 1881. Observations on Planorbis. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 33(1881):92-110.
Stearns, R.E.C. 1882. On the history and distribution of the fresh-water mussels, and the identity of certain alleged species. Proceedings of the California Academy of Science (unauthorized). 1-21.
Stearns, R.E.C. 1883. On the shells of the Colorado Desert and the region farther east. American Naturalist 17(10):1014-1020.
Stearns, R.E.C. 1890. Descriptions of new west American land, fresh-water, and marine shells, with notes and comments. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 13(813):205-225 + 3 plates.
Stearns, R.E.C. 1891. List of North American land and fresh-water shells received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with notes and comments thereon. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 14(844):95-106.
Stearns, R.E.C. 1892. In memorium – Dr. Wesley Newcomb. Nautilus 5(11):121-124 + 1 plate.
Stearns, R.E.C. 1893. Report on the land and fresh-water shells collected in California and Nevada by the Death Valley expedition, including a few additional species obtained by Dr. C. Hart Merriam and assistants in parts of the southwestern United States. North American Fauna 7:269-283.
Stearns, R.E.C. 1893. Notes on recent collections of North American land, fresh water, and marine shells from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 16(971):743-755.
Stearns, R.E.C. 1900. Mollusca associated with mastodon remains. Nautilus 13(9):100-101.
Stearns, R.E.C. 1900. List of shells collected by Vernon Bailey in Heron and Eagle lakes, Minnesota, with notes. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 22(1190):135-138.
Stearns, R.E.C. 1901. Japanese Vivipara in California. Nautilus 15(8):91.
Stearns, R.E.C. 1902. The fossil fresh-water shells of the Colorado desert, their distribution, environment, and variation. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 24(1256):271-299 + 6 plates.
Stearns, R.E.C. 1907. On the composition and decomposition of fresh water mussel shells, with notes and queries. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 20:67-70.