Hermann Schlegel

Hermann Schlegel , born the June 10th 1804 with Altenbourg in the Thuringe and dead the January 17th 1884 with Leyde, is a German Ornithologue .

Biography

His/her father is brewer and collects the butterflies. He very early initiates his son with the natural science. The discovery, by chance, of a nest of Buse S makes him discover the study of the birds. Its vocation is encouraged by Pasteur Christian Ludwig Brehm (1787-1864), father of the famous zoologist Alfred Edmund Brehm (1829-1884).

Schlegel starts to work with the brewery of his/her father but gives up this occupation very quickly. It leaves to Vienna in Austria in 1824 where, at the university, it attends Leopold Joseph Franz Johann Fitzinger (1802-1884) and Johann Jacob Heckel (1790-1857). It is thanks to a letter of Brehm with Joseph Natterer, the brother of the famous explorer, whom it obtains a station with the Muséum of Vienna. One year after its arrival, the director of this natural history museum, Carl Franz Anton Ritter von Schreibers (1775-1852), recommends it near Coenraad Jacob Temminck, director of the natural history museum of Natural history of Leyde, which seeks an assistant then.

Temminck has recourse to many German naturalists, as Heinrich Boie (1794-1827), Johann Jakob Kaup (1803-1873) and Heinrich Kuhl (1797-1821).

Schlegel leaves in Leyde and is devoted first of all to the collection of Reptile S but little by little its fields of activity is extended to the zoological groups. It had been agreed that Schlegel leaves to Java to take part in an scientific exhibition, but the untimely death of the designated successor of Temmlinck, Heinrich Boie (1794-1827), prevents the realization of this project.

It is at this time that Schlegel meets Philipp Franz von Siebold (1796-1866), beginning of a long friendship and a rich person collaboration. They will work in particular on the Fauna Japonica (1845-1850). It signs, with Temminck, the part devoted to herpetologic fauna but it is him which writes it truly. In 1837, it makes appear its Essai on the aspect of the serpens , which is often regarded as the first truly scientific treaty on the Serpent S even if it is quickly exceeded by other works, in particular those of André Marie Constant Duméril (1774-1860), Gabriel Bibron (1805-1848) or Auguste Duméril (1812-1870).

Between 1839 and 1844, it writes with Solomon Müller (1804-1864) the zoology part of Verhandelingen , report of research of the commission of Natural history of the Eastern Indies.

Schelgel is one of the first ornithologists to adopt the idea of geographical races suggested by the geographer Friedrich Faber but denies the fact that those is the consequence of the climate (it exposes contrary examples besides). For Schlegel, the geographical distribution of the races reflects divine creation and cannot thus undergo evolution.

When Temminck dies beginning 1858, Schlegel succeeds to him the direction of the natural history museum after having spent 33 years under its direction.

The Southeast Asia interests Schlegel particularly, especially the New Guinea. In 1859, it sends to it a traveller-naturalist, Heinrich Agathon Bernstein (1828-1865), to collect birds there. Then after the death of Bernstein, Hermann von Rosenberg (1817-1888).

At the same time, it starts to make appear a scientific magazine, the Notes from the Leyden Museum as well as a vast work of 14 volumes, heading Muséum of natural history of the Netherlands (1862-1880). It employs three talented illustrators: John Gerrard Keulemans (1842-1912), Joseph Smit (1836-1929) and Joseph Wolf (1820-1899).

The end of the lifetime of Schlegel is difficult: his wife dies in 1864, her assistant Friedrich Hermann Otto Finsch (1839-1917) leaves it for the natural history museum of Bremen which offers better wages to him, the collections of the British Museum start to eclipse those of Leyde.

It remains all its life firmly opposite with the theory of the evolution of Darwin which it regards as a simple speculation, opinion consolidated by the publications of Johann Heinrich Blasius (1809-1870) and of Jean Baptiste Cabanis (1725-1786).

His/her son is the sinologist Gustaaf Schlegel (1840-1903).

Taxon S éponymes

Several species were dedicated to him:

Otto Finsch (1839-1917) in 1876 dedicates the Gorfou to him de Schlegel ( Eudyptes schlegeli ).
Theodor von Heuglin (1824-1876) in 1863 dedicates it the Francolin de Schlegel ( Francolinus schlegelii ).
Whistling of Schlegel - Pachycephala schlegelii .
Tohi de Schlegel - Arremon schlegeli .
Trap of Karoo - Cercomela schlegelii .

Lastly, a Petrel, described in 1863 ( Pterodroma incerta ) by Schlegel, carries in French his name, Pétrel of Schlegel, just as the Philépitte de Schlegel ( Philepitta schlegeli ) described in 1867, and the Siffleur of Schlegel describes in 1871.

List partial of the publications

1834 - 1850: Fauna Japonica .
1837 - 1844: Abbildungen neuer oder unvollstandig bekannter Amphibian: nach der Natur oder dem Leben entworfen .
1854 : Of zoogdieren geschetst.
1854 - 1858: Of vogels van Nederland . 3 flights.
1857 - 1858: Handleiding early of beoefening DER dierkunde. 2 flights.
1860 - 1862: Of dieren van Nederland. Gewervelde dieren .
1862 - 1876: methodical and critical Review of the collections deposited in this establishment. 7 Flights.
1863 - 1872: De Dierentuin van het Koninklijk Zoologisch Genootschap Natura Artis Magistra you Amsterdam zoölogisch geschetst .
1868 : Natuurlijke historie van Nederland. Of vogels.
1870 : Natuurlijke Historie van Nederland. Of kruipende dieren .
1870 : Natuurlijke Historie van Nederland. Of zoogdieren .
1870 : Natuurlijke Historie van Nederland. De Visschen .
1872 : Of dierentuin van het Koninklijk Zoölogisch Genootszchap Natura Artis Magistra you Amsterdam. Of vogels. Of zoogdieren. Of kruipende dieren. Historische herinneringen van P.H. Witkamp puts.

Sources

Kraig Adler (1989). Contributions to the History off Herpetology, Society for the study off amphibians and reptiles.
Barbara Mearns & Richard Mearns (1998). The Bird Collectors. Academic Close (London): xvii + 472 p.
Michael Walters (2003). has Concise History Ornithology off. Yale University Close (New Haven, Connecticut): 255 p.

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