Frédéric de Lafresnaye
Encyclopedia
Baron Nöel Frédéric Armand André de Lafresnaye (July 24, 1783 - July 14, 1861) was a French
ornithologist and collector.
Lafresnaye was born into an aristocratic family at Chateau de La Fresnaye in Falaise
, Normandy. He took an early interest in natural history
, particularly entomology
. It was only after acquiring a collection of European birds that he turned his attention to ornithology.
Lafresnaye described a number of new bird species, some with Alcide d'Orbigny
. He accumulated a collection of over 8000 bird skins at his home. After his death the collection was purchased by the American collector Henry Bryant
and donated to the Boston Natural History Society. It was transferred to the Museum of Comparative Zoology
in 1914.
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...
ornithologist and collector.
Lafresnaye was born into an aristocratic family at Chateau de La Fresnaye in Falaise
Falaise, Calvados
Falaise is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-History:The town was the birthplace of William I the Conqueror, first of the Norman Kings of England. The Château de Falaise , which overlooks the town from a high crag, was formerly the seat of...
, Normandy. He took an early interest in 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...
, particularly entomology
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
. It was only after acquiring a collection of European birds that he turned his attention to ornithology.
Lafresnaye described a number of new bird species, some with Alcide d'Orbigny
Alcide d'Orbigny
Alcide Charles Victor Marie Dessalines d'Orbigny was a French naturalist who made major contributions in many areas, including zoology , palaeontology, geology, archaeology and anthropology....
. He accumulated a collection of over 8000 bird skins at his home. After his death the collection was purchased by the American collector Henry Bryant
Henry Bryant
Henry Bryant was an American physician and naturalist. He was the grandfather of Henry Bryant Bigelow.-Biography:Bryant was born in Boston, and graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1843...
and donated to the Boston Natural History Society. It was transferred to the Museum of Comparative Zoology
Museum of Comparative Zoology
The Museum of Comparative Zoology, full name "The Louis Agassiz Museum of Comparative Zoology", often abbreviated simply to "MCZ", is a zoology museum located on the grounds of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is one of three museums which collectively comprise the Harvard Museum...
in 1914.