AUTOGRAPH SENTIMENT SIGNED BY AMERICAN NATURALIST, ORNITHOLOGIST AND EXPLORER WILLIAM BEEBE. de Beebe, William (1877-1962). American naturalist, ornithologist and explorer - 1926.

May 28, 1926., 1926.. Very good. - The words "Why not?" are penned by Beebe on an approximately 2 inch high by 3-1/4 inch wide cream card. Signed and dated "William Beebe / May 28 / 1926". Very good. <p>William Beebe [1877-1962] was an American naturalist, ornithologist, marine biologist, entomologist, explorer and author. He is best remembered for the numerous expeditions he conducted for the New York Zoological Society, his deep dives in the Bathysphere and his prolific scientific writing for academic and popular audiences. On joining the newly opened New York Zoological Park, he quickly distinguished himself by his skill in designing habitats for the zoo's birds and soon by his research expeditions, including a round-the-world trip to document pheasant populations. With his 1930s dives in the Bathysphere he became the first biologist to observe deep-sea animals in their native environment. He later traveled to the tropics and began to study the behavior of insects. He was a major advocate of conservation and is regarded as one of the founders of the field of ecology.