Edward Hitchcock (1793-1864), American geologist. Hitchcock began his career as a teacher and a clergyman, but later became professor of chemistry at Amherst College, Massachusetts, USA. Between 1830 and 1833 he directed the first state-funded geological survey of Massachusetts, which resulted in his publication of The Geology of Massachusetts (1833). He also studied fossilised animal footprints in Connecticut Valley, on which he published the book Ichnology of New England (1858). Hitchcock believed the prints to have been made by ancient birds, but they were later proved to be dinosaur tracks.