Gérard Paul Deshayes
Encyclopedia
Gérard Paul Deshayes was a French
geologist
and conchologist.
He was born in Nancy, his father at that time being professor of experimental physics in the École Centrale of the Meurthe
département.
He studied medicine
in Strasbourg
, and afterwards took the degree of bachelier ès lettres in Paris
in 1821; but he abandoned the medical profession in order to devote himself to natural history
. For some time he gave private lessons on geology
, and subsequently became professor of natural history in the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle.
He was distinguished for his researches on the fossil
mollusca of the Paris Basin
and of other Tertiary
areas. His studies on the relations of the fossil to the recent species led him as early as 1829 to conclusions somewhat similar to those arrived at by Lyell
, to whom Deshayes rendered much assistance in connection with the classification of the Tertiary system into Eocene
, Miocene
and Pliocene
.
He was one of the founders of the Société Géologique de France
. In 1839 he began the publication of his Traité élémentaire de conchyliologie, the last part of which was not issued until 1858. In the same year (1839) he went to Algeria
for the French Government, and spent three years in explorations in that country. His principal work, which resulted from the collections he made, Mollusques de l'Algérie, was issued (incomplete) in 1848.
In 1870 the Wollaston medal
of the Geological Society of London
was awarded to him. He died in Boran-sur-Oise
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and conchologist.
He was born in Nancy, his father at that time being professor of experimental physics in the École Centrale of the Meurthe
Meurthe
Meurthe is a former département of France. Its préfecture was Nancy. It ceased to exist following the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine by Germany in 1871.-General characteristics:...
département.
He studied medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, and afterwards took the degree of bachelier ès lettres in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1821; but he abandoned the medical profession in order to devote himself to natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
. For some time he gave private lessons on geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
, and subsequently became professor of natural history in the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle.
He was distinguished for his researches on the fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
mollusca of the Paris Basin
Paris Basin (geology)
The Paris Basin is one of the major geological regions of France having developed since the Triassic on a basement formed by the Variscan orogeny.-Extent:...
and of other Tertiary
Tertiary
The Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
areas. His studies on the relations of the fossil to the recent species led him as early as 1829 to conclusions somewhat similar to those arrived at by Lyell
Charles Lyell
Sir Charles Lyell, 1st Baronet, Kt FRS was a British lawyer and the foremost geologist of his day. He is best known as the author of Principles of Geology, which popularised James Hutton's concepts of uniformitarianism – the idea that the earth was shaped by slow-moving forces still in operation...
, to whom Deshayes rendered much assistance in connection with the classification of the Tertiary system into Eocene
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
, Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
and Pliocene
Pliocene
The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...
.
He was one of the founders of the Société Géologique de France
Société géologique de France
The Société géologique de France is a French learned society founded on 17 March 1830. As of 2006, it counts 1,200 members....
. In 1839 he began the publication of his Traité élémentaire de conchyliologie, the last part of which was not issued until 1858. In the same year (1839) he went to Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
for the French Government, and spent three years in explorations in that country. His principal work, which resulted from the collections he made, Mollusques de l'Algérie, was issued (incomplete) in 1848.
In 1870 the Wollaston medal
Wollaston Medal
The Wollaston Medal is a scientific award for geology, the highest award granted by the Geological Society of London.The medal is named after William Hyde Wollaston, and was first awarded in 1831...
of the Geological Society of London
Geological Society of London
The Geological Society of London is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with the aim of "investigating the mineral structure of the Earth"...
was awarded to him. He died in Boran-sur-Oise
Boran-sur-Oise
Boran-sur-Oise is a small town in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.- References :*...
.
Works
His publications included:- Description des coquilles fossiles des environs de Paris (2 vols. and atlas, 1824-1837)
- Description de coquilles caractéristiques des terrains.– Paris: F. G. Levrault, 1831.– 264 pp., 14 pls.
- Mollusques. In: Saint-Hilaire G., Deshayes G., Saint-Vincent B., Saint-Vincent B. Expédition scientifique de Morée. Section des sciences physiques. Tome III. Première partie. Zoologie. Première section.– Animaux vertébrés, mollusques et polypies.– Paris-Strasbourg: F. G. Levrault., 1832.– p. 81-203, pls. 18-26.
- Traité élémentaire de conchyliologie avec les applications de cette science à la geologie.
- (1839-1853). Premiere Partie - Introduction. (part 1 - Introduction)
- (1843-1850). Seconde Partie - Conchiféres dimyaires (Part 2)
- (1839-1853). Explication des planches. (Explanation of plates)
- (1839-1857). Atlas. (Atlas of plates)
- Description des animaux sans vertèbres découverts dans le bassin de Paris (3 vols. and atlas, 1856-1866)
- Catalogue des mollusques de l'île de la Reunion (1863).
External links
- works by Gérard Paul Deshayes at Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...