Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire
Encyclopedia
Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (December 16, 1805 – November 10, 1861) was a French
zoologist
and an authority on deviation from normal structure. He coined the term ethology
.
He was born in Paris
, the son of Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire
. In his earlier years he showed an aptitude for mathematics
, but eventually he devoted himself to the study of natural history
and of medicine
, and in 1824 he was appointed assistant naturalist to his father. In 1832-1837 he published his great teratological work, Histoire générale et particulière des anomalies de l’organisation chez l’homme et les animaux.
In 1829 he delivered for his father the second part of a course of lectures on ornithology
, and during the three following years he taught zoology at the Athne, and teratology at the Ecole pratique. He was elected a member of the French Academy of Sciences
in 1833, was in 1837 appointed to act as deputy for his father at the faculty of sciences in Paris, and in the following year was sent to Bordeaux
to organize a similar faculty there. He became successively inspector of the academy of Paris (1840), professor of the museum on the retirement of his father (1841), inspector-general of the university (1844), a member of the royal council for public instruction (1845), and on the death of Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville
, professor of zoology at the faculty of sciences (1850). In 1854 he founded the Acclimatization Society of Paris
, of which he was president.
Besides the above-mentioned works, he wrote: Essais de zoologie generale (1841); Vie Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1847); Acclimatation et domestication des animaux utiles (1849); Lettres sur les substances alimentaires et particulièrement sur la viande de cheval (1856); and Histoire naturelle générale des règnes organiques (3 vols., 1854-1862), which was not quite completed. He was the author also of various papers on zoology, comparative anatomy
and palaeontology.
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...
zoologist
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
and an authority on deviation from normal structure. He coined the term ethology
Ethology
Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior, and a sub-topic of zoology....
.
He was born 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...
, the son of Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire
Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire
Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire was a French naturalist who established the principle of "unity of composition". He was a colleague of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and expanded and defended Lamarck's evolutionary theories...
. In his earlier years he showed an aptitude for mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, but eventually he devoted himself to the study of 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...
and of 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....
, and in 1824 he was appointed assistant naturalist to his father. In 1832-1837 he published his great teratological work, Histoire générale et particulière des anomalies de l’organisation chez l’homme et les animaux.
In 1829 he delivered for his father the second part of a course of lectures on ornithology
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
, and during the three following years he taught zoology at the Athne, and teratology at the Ecole pratique. He was elected a member of the French Academy of Sciences
French Academy of Sciences
The French Academy of Sciences is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research...
in 1833, was in 1837 appointed to act as deputy for his father at the faculty of sciences in Paris, and in the following year was sent to Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
to organize a similar faculty there. He became successively inspector of the academy of Paris (1840), professor of the museum on the retirement of his father (1841), inspector-general of the university (1844), a member of the royal council for public instruction (1845), and on the death of Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville
Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville
Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville was a French zoologist and anatomist.Blainville was born at Arques, near Dieppe. In about 1796 he went to Paris to study painting, but he ultimately devoted himself to natural history, and attracted the attention of Georges Cuvier, for whom he occasionally...
, professor of zoology at the faculty of sciences (1850). In 1854 he founded the Acclimatization Society of Paris
Acclimatisation society
Acclimatisation societies were societies created in order to enrich the fauna of a region with animals and plants from around the world. The first such society was La Societé Zoologique d'Acclimatation founded in Paris in 1854 by Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. Such societies spread quickly around...
, of which he was president.
Besides the above-mentioned works, he wrote: Essais de zoologie generale (1841); Vie Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1847); Acclimatation et domestication des animaux utiles (1849); Lettres sur les substances alimentaires et particulièrement sur la viande de cheval (1856); and Histoire naturelle générale des règnes organiques (3 vols., 1854-1862), which was not quite completed. He was the author also of various papers on zoology, comparative anatomy
Comparative anatomy
Comparative anatomy is the study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of organisms. It is closely related to evolutionary biology and phylogeny .-Description:...
and palaeontology.
Works
- Essais de zoologie générale (1841) ;
- La Vie d'Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1847) ;
- Acclimatation et domestication des animaux utiles (1849) ;
- Lettres sur les substances alimentaires et particulièrement sur la viande de cheval (1856) ;
- Histoire naturelle générale des règnes organiques ( 3 volumes, 1854-1862)
External links
- Gallica Gallica has digital versions of works by Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire.