Dwusetna rocznica urodzin Alcide d'Orbigny'ego (1802­1857)

Abstract

BICENTENARY OF ALCIDE D’ORBIGNY (1802–1857) Summary In connection with bicentenary of birth of Alcide d’Orbigny, celebrated this year worldwide, achievements of this outstanding French geologist, paleontologist and ethnographer and member of numerous scientific societes in France and other countries is discussed. D’Orbigny is here characterized as an oustanding personality and representative of Earth sciences as well as traveler and student of American continent. A special attention is paid to achievements of d’Orbigny in the field of geology and paleontology, especially his contribution to studies on foraminifers and forming a new discipline, micropaleontology. Attention is also paid to his contribution to paleontology and stratigraphy, best shown by his classic books: Paléontologie française, Prodrome de Paléontologie stratigraphique universelle, Cours élémentaire de Paléontologie. His theories concerning stratigraphic distribution of fossils and great paleontological monographs, despite of certain shortcomings, represent unquestionable contribution in the developments of natural sciences in the XIX c.