William Jardine (naturalist)

Sir William Jardine, seventh baronet of Applegirth (February 23, 1800 - November 21, 1874) was a Scottish naturalist.

Jardine made natural history available to all levels of Victorian society by editing and issuing the hugely popular forty volumes of The Naturalist's Library. It was divided into four main sections: Ornithology, Mammalia, Entomology and Ichthyology; each prepared by a leading naturalist. The artists responsible for the illustrations included Edward Lear.

Jardine's other publications included an edition of Gilbert White's Natural History of Selborne which re-established White's reputation, Illustrations of Ornithology (1825-43), and an affordable edition of Alexander Wilson's Birds of America.

Jardine was the author of a number of bird species in conjunction with his friend Prideaux John Selby.