Thomas Pemant, an English naturalist, born at Downing, Flintshire, June 14, 1726, died there, Dec. 16, 1798. He was educated at •Wrexham and at Oxford. His account of an earthquake in Flintshire, April 2, 1750, appeared without his knowledge in the "Philosophical Transactions;" and in 1756 he contributed to the same work an article on certain coralloid bodies occurring in Shropshire. In 1761 appeared the first part of his great work on "British Zoology." This treatise, which was translated into Latin and German, embraced nearly every species of the animal kingdom then known to exist in Britain, with the exception of insects. The best edition is that of 1812 (4 vols. 8vo). After travelling on the continent he began a work on "Indian Zoology" (1769), which was speedily discontinued. He made a journey into the northern part of Scotland in 1769, and another in 1772, of both of which he published accounts. In the second journey he was accompanied by Dr. Lightfoot, whom he assisted in the preparation of his " Flora Scotica." In 1771 appeared his "Synopsis of Quadrupeds," subsequently enlarged under the title of a" History of Quadrupeds." Shortly afterward he began " The Genera of Birds," which was never completed.

His-"Arctic Zoology" (3 vols. 4to, 1784-'7) contains descriptions of many species previously unknown. In 1793 he published "The Literary Life of the late Thomas Pennant," saying in the advertisement that his existence as an author ended March 1, 1791. Yet he published several other works, among which were " Outlines of the Globe," vols. i. and ii., including "Views of Hindostan " (1798), forming the first portions of a work designed to embrace an account of every country in the world. Two additional volumes were issued after his decease by his son, completing eastern Asia. Pennant also wrote "A Tour in Wales" (4to, 1778-81); " A Journey from Chester to London" (1782); an "Account of London" (1790); and the "History of the Parishes of Whiteford and Holywell" (1796). A collective edition of his works was published in 1823, in 29 volumes.