Hermann August Hagen
Encyclopedia
Hermann August Hagen was a German
entomologist
who specialised in Neuroptera
and Odonata
. In 1845 he began to collaborate with Edmond de Sélys Longchamps
.
, and his grandfather, Carl Gottfried Hagen, had been professor of natural history there. His grandfather got him interested in entomology.
Young Hagen graduated from the gymnasium
in 1836, and in 1839 published his first paper on dragonflies
of East Prussia. He toured major entomological collections and libraries in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Germany with zoology professor Martin Heinrich Rathke in 1839. In 1840, he received his medical degree from the University of Königsberg
, having written his thesis on European species of dragonflies. He then studied medicine in Berlin, Vienna, Paris, and elsewhere. In 1843, he returned to Königsberg, entered on the general practice of medicine, and for three years was first assistant at the surgical hospital. During this time, he continued his entomological studies.
He married Johanna Maria Gerhards in 1851.
In 1856 he met a Russian entomologist, Karl Robert Osten-Sacken
, who brought American neuropteroid
insects to his attention.
From 1863 until 1867, he was vice president of the city council and a member of the school board in Königsberg.
While holding these civic offices, he was invited by Louis Agassiz
to come to Cambridge
as assistant in entomology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology
at Harvard
. Agassiz had been encouraged in this idea by Osten-Sacken. Hagen accepted, and in 1867 he emigrated to the United States
of America. He developed the department of entomology at Harvard, and in 1870 was made professor of that science, being the first professor of entomology in an American university.
He was a member of several scientific societies including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
, the American Philosophical Society
and the American Entomological Society
. He founded the Cambridge Entomological Club. In 1863, he received the honorary degree of Ph.D.
from the University of Königsberg. In 1882, he traveled to Montana
, California
, Oregon
and Washington where he collected harmful insects.
His abbreviation for taxonomic descriptions is “Hag.”
He wrote over 400 articles.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
entomologist
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
who specialised in Neuroptera
Neuroptera
The insect order Neuroptera, or net-winged insects, includes the lacewings, mantidflies, antlions, and their relatives. The order contains some 6,010 species...
and Odonata
Odonata
Odonata is an order of insects, encompassing dragonflies and damselflies . The word dragonfly is also sometimes used to refer to all Odonata, but the back-formation odonate is a more correct English name for the group as a whole...
. In 1845 he began to collaborate with Edmond de Sélys Longchamps
Edmond de Sélys Longchamps
Baron Michel Edmond de Sélys Longchamps was a Belgian liberal politician and scientist.Selys-Longchamps was regarded as the world's greatest authority on dragonflies and damselflies. His wealth and influence enabled him to amass one of the finest collections of neuropteroid insects and to describe...
.
Biography
Hagen was the son of Carl Heinrich Hagen and Anna Hagen née Linck. His father was professor of political economy, technology and agriculture at the University of KönigsbergUniversity of Königsberg
The University of Königsberg was the university of Königsberg in East Prussia. It was founded in 1544 as second Protestant academy by Duke Albert of Prussia, and was commonly known as the Albertina....
, and his grandfather, Carl Gottfried Hagen, had been professor of natural history there. His grandfather got him interested in entomology.
Young Hagen graduated from the gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in 1836, and in 1839 published his first paper on dragonflies
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
of East Prussia. He toured major entomological collections and libraries in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Germany with zoology professor Martin Heinrich Rathke in 1839. In 1840, he received his medical degree from the University of Königsberg
University of Königsberg
The University of Königsberg was the university of Königsberg in East Prussia. It was founded in 1544 as second Protestant academy by Duke Albert of Prussia, and was commonly known as the Albertina....
, having written his thesis on European species of dragonflies. He then studied medicine in Berlin, Vienna, Paris, and elsewhere. In 1843, he returned to Königsberg, entered on the general practice of medicine, and for three years was first assistant at the surgical hospital. During this time, he continued his entomological studies.
He married Johanna Maria Gerhards in 1851.
In 1856 he met a Russian entomologist, Karl Robert Osten-Sacken
Karl Robert Osten-Sacken
Baron Karl-Robert von Osten-Sacken was a Russian diplomat and entomologist. He served as the Russian consul general in New York during the American Civil War, living in the United States from 1856 to 1877....
, who brought American neuropteroid
Neuroptera
The insect order Neuroptera, or net-winged insects, includes the lacewings, mantidflies, antlions, and their relatives. The order contains some 6,010 species...
insects to his attention.
From 1863 until 1867, he was vice president of the city council and a member of the school board in Königsberg.
While holding these civic offices, he was invited by Louis Agassiz
Louis Agassiz
Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz was a Swiss paleontologist, glaciologist, geologist and a prominent innovator in the study of the Earth's natural history. He grew up in Switzerland and became a professor of natural history at University of Neuchâtel...
to come to Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
as assistant in entomology at 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...
at Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. Agassiz had been encouraged in this idea by Osten-Sacken. Hagen accepted, and in 1867 he emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
of America. He developed the department of entomology at Harvard, and in 1870 was made professor of that science, being the first professor of entomology in an American university.
He was a member of several scientific societies including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
, the American Philosophical Society
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
and the American Entomological Society
American Entomological Society
The American Entomological Society was founded on March 1, 1859. It is the oldest continuously-operating entomological society in the Western Hemisphere, and one the oldest scientific societies in the United States. It is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
. He founded the Cambridge Entomological Club. In 1863, he received the honorary degree of Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from the University of Königsberg. In 1882, he traveled to Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and Washington where he collected harmful insects.
His abbreviation for taxonomic descriptions is “Hag.”
Works
- with Edmond de Sélys Longchamps. “Revue des odonates ou Libellules d'Europe.” Mémoires de la Société Royale des Sciences de Liége 6:1-408 (1850).
- Monographie der Termiten (1855-1860).
- Synopsis of North American Neuroptera (1861). This work was written at the request of the Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian InstitutionThe Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
. Some of the terms used by Hagen were not well explained in this work. This was corrected by the IrishIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Entomologist Alexander Henry HalidayAlexander Henry HalidayAlexander Henry Haliday, also known as Enrico Alessandro Haliday and Alexis Heinrich Haliday sometimes Halliday , was an Irish entomologist. He is primarily known for his work on Hymenoptera, Diptera and Thysanoptera, but Haliday worked on all insect orders and on many aspects of entomology.Haliday...
in 1857 in “Explanation of terms used by Dr Hagen in his synopsis of the British Dragon-flies,” Entomologists' Annual 164-15, Fig. - Bibliotheca Entomologica (1862-1863). This work, listing all entomological literature up to 1862, was found in all the major entomology libraries. It was the “entomologist's bible.”
He wrote over 400 articles.