François Jules Pictet de la Rive
Encyclopedia
François Jules Pictet de la Rive (27 September 1809 - 15 March 1872) was a Swiss
zoologist and palaeontologist.
He was born in Geneva
. He graduated B. Sc. at Geneva in 1829, and pursued his studies for a short time at Paris
, where under the influence of Georges Cuvier
, de Blainville and others, he worked at natural history
and comparative anatomy
. On his return to Geneva in 1830 he assisted A. P. de Candolle
by giving demonstrations in comparative anatomy. Five years later, when de Candolle retired, Pictet was appointed professor of zoology and comparative anatomy.
In 1846 his duties were restricted to certain branches of zoology, including geology
and palaeontology, and these he continued to teach until 1859, when he retired to devote his energies to the museum of natural history and to special palaeontological work. He was rector of the academy from 1847 to 1850, and again from 1866 to 1868. He was for many years a member of the "Grand Conseil", the parliament of the Canton of Geneva
, and president of the "Grand Conseil" in 1863 and 1864.
His earlier published work related chiefly to entomology
, and included Recherches pour servir à l'histoire et à l'anatomie des Phryganides (1834) and two parts of Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière, des insectes névroptères (1842-1845). Feeling the want of a hand-book, he prepared his Traité élémentaire de paléontologie (4 vols. 1844-1846). In the first edition Pictet, while adopting the hypothesis of successive creations of species, admitted that some may have originated through the modification of preexisting forms. In his second edition (1853-1857) he enters further into the probable transformation of some species, and discusses the independence of certain faunas, which did not appear to have originated from the types which locally preceded them.
He now directed his attention to the fossils of his native country, more especially to those of the Cretaceous
and Jurassic
strata, and in 1854 he commenced the publication of his great work, Matériaux pour la paléontologie suisse, ou Recueil de monographies sur les fossiles du Jura et des Alpes..., a series of quarto memoirs, of which six were published (1854-1873). In this work Pictet was aided by E Renevier, G. Campiche, P. de Loriol and others, Pictet also brought out Mélanges paliontologiques (1863-1868). He died at Geneva in 1872.
Obituary by W. S. Dallas, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. (1873), vol. xxix.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
zoologist and palaeontologist.
He was born in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. He graduated B. Sc. at Geneva in 1829, and pursued his studies for a short time at 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...
, where under the influence of Georges Cuvier
Georges Cuvier
Georges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
, de Blainville and others, he worked at 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 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:...
. On his return to Geneva in 1830 he assisted A. P. de Candolle
A. P. de Candolle
Augustin Pyramus de Candolle also spelled Augustin Pyrame de Candolle was a Swiss botanist. René Louiche Desfontaines launched Candolle's botanical career by recommending him at an herbarium...
by giving demonstrations in comparative anatomy. Five years later, when de Candolle retired, Pictet was appointed professor of zoology and comparative anatomy.
In 1846 his duties were restricted to certain branches of zoology, including 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 palaeontology, and these he continued to teach until 1859, when he retired to devote his energies to the museum of natural history and to special palaeontological work. He was rector of the academy from 1847 to 1850, and again from 1866 to 1868. He was for many years a member of the "Grand Conseil", the parliament of the Canton of Geneva
Canton of Geneva
The Republic and Canton of Geneva is the French speaking westernmost canton or state of Switzerland, surrounded on almost all sides by France. As is the case in several other Swiss cantons The Republic and Canton of Geneva is the French speaking westernmost canton or state of Switzerland,...
, and president of the "Grand Conseil" in 1863 and 1864.
His earlier published work related chiefly to entomology
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
, and included Recherches pour servir à l'histoire et à l'anatomie des Phryganides (1834) and two parts of Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière, des insectes névroptères (1842-1845). Feeling the want of a hand-book, he prepared his Traité élémentaire de paléontologie (4 vols. 1844-1846). In the first edition Pictet, while adopting the hypothesis of successive creations of species, admitted that some may have originated through the modification of preexisting forms. In his second edition (1853-1857) he enters further into the probable transformation of some species, and discusses the independence of certain faunas, which did not appear to have originated from the types which locally preceded them.
He now directed his attention to the fossils of his native country, more especially to those of the Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
and Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
strata, and in 1854 he commenced the publication of his great work, Matériaux pour la paléontologie suisse, ou Recueil de monographies sur les fossiles du Jura et des Alpes..., a series of quarto memoirs, of which six were published (1854-1873). In this work Pictet was aided by E Renevier, G. Campiche, P. de Loriol and others, Pictet also brought out Mélanges paliontologiques (1863-1868). He died at Geneva in 1872.
Obituary by W. S. Dallas, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. (1873), vol. xxix.