Louis Antoine François Baillon
Encyclopedia
Louis Antoine François Baillon (January 20, 1778 – December 3, 1855) was a French
naturalist
and collector. He was born in Montreuil-sur-Mer
and died in Abbeville
.
His father, a lawyer and correspondent of Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
, introduced him to natural history. Baillon himself worked for the Muséum 1798-9 as an assistant.
When he failed to obtain a position as a professor, he became a correspondent of the Muséum as well. He is particularly noted for his Cetacea
skeletons and as the author of a monograph
on the fauna
of Abbeville.
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...
naturalist
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 collector. He was born in Montreuil-sur-Mer
Montreuil-sur-Mer
Montreuil or Montreuil-sur-Mer is a sub-prefecture in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is located on the Canche river, not far from Étaples...
and died in Abbeville
Abbeville
Abbeville is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Location:Abbeville is located on the Somme River, from its modern mouth in the English Channel, and northwest of Amiens...
.
His father, a lawyer and correspondent of Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
The Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle is the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France.- History :The museum was formally founded on 10 June 1793, during the French Revolution...
, introduced him to natural history. Baillon himself worked for the Muséum 1798-9 as an assistant.
When he failed to obtain a position as a professor, he became a correspondent of the Muséum as well. He is particularly noted for his Cetacea
Cetacea
The order Cetacea includes the marine mammals commonly known as whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Cetus is Latin and is used in biological names to mean "whale"; its original meaning, "large sea animal", was more general. It comes from Ancient Greek , meaning "whale" or "any huge fish or sea...
skeletons and as the author of a monograph
Monograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
on the fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
of Abbeville.