Keeton, William T.

Keeton, William T. (Tinsley)

(1933–80) animal behaviorist; born in Roanoke, Va. He taught at Virginia Polytechnic Institute (1954–56), was an instructor at Redford (Virginia) College (1965), then moved to Cornell (1958–80). From 1955 to 1965 he performed research on taxonomy, zoogeography, and the development of millipedes. His contributions to ornithology include studies of avian migration as influenced by the moon and by the earth's magnetic field, especially as demonstrated by homing behavior in pigeons. He was a dedicated educator whose Biological Science (1967) and Elements of Biological Science (1968, 1973, 1980) became popular texts. He also served as a consultant to the New York State Department of Education on proficiency tests for high school and college students.