Naturalist and London merchant.

Franklin provided him with information for An Historical Account of Coffee, with an Engraving, and Botanical Description of the Tree… (London, 1774), a compilation to which various authors contributed, including Dr. John Fothergill.

Fellow of the Royal Society (1754). Author of An Essay towards the Natural History of the Corallines… (London, 1755), which was translated into French (1756). Awarded the Copley medal of The Royal Society (1768).

Appointed as agent for West Florida (1764), and for Dominica (1770). Imported rice and various American seeds into England, and wrote Directions for Bringing over Seeds and Plants from the East-Indies and Other Distant Countries, in a State of Vegetation… (London, 1770).

Born in Ireland.