He gave up the legal profession, for which he was destined, and in 1740 went to Paris, where he studied natural history, chemistry, and metallurgy.
In 1752, having become acquainted with Don Antonio de Ulloa, afterwards admiral of the Spanish fleet, Bowles was induced to enter the Spanish service, being appointed to superintend the state mines and to form a collection of natural history and fit up a chemical laboratory.
He first visited the mercury mines of Almadén, which had been seriously damaged by fire, and the plans he suggested were successfully adopted for their resuscitation.
He afterwards traveled through Spain, investigating its minerals and natural history, living chiefly at Madrid and Bilbao.
[1] Bowles's principal work was An Introduction to the Natural History and Physical Geography of Spain, published in Spanish at Madrid in 1775.