ORBIGNY, Alcide Dessalines d'.

Cours Élémentaire de Paléontologie et de Géologie Stratigraphiques.Paris, Victor Masson, 1849-1852. 8vo & 4to. 3 volumes. With 628 mostly wood-engraved figures in the text (except for 1 folding cross-section) and 17 numbered tables (16 folding, 1 full-page). Volumes 1 and 2 (8vo text) contemporary half morocco, marbeled side and endpapers. Volume 3 (4to tables) original printed wrappers with green cloth spine.

      - (4), 300, 258; (4), 259-847, (1); (3) pp. + 1 folding cross-section & 17 tables. BMC NH, p. 1475; Ward 1684; DSB X, pp. 221-222; Karlsruher Virt. Kat. (4 copies); OCLC WorldCat (5 copies). A basic work on stratigraphy and paleontology by the famous d'Orbigny, one of the founders of biostratigraphy, with hundreds of illustrations finely engraved in wood by E. Salle. The illustrations show an enormous variety of plant and animal fossils, from tiny invertebrates to gigantic dinosaurs. The figures also include maps and geological cross-sections. d'Orbigny's precise rendition of surviving skeletons placed in the black background of the reconstructed figure of the animal gives the book a remarkably modern appearance. Alcide d'Orbigny (1802-1857) lectured and published on his new classification of fossils based on his research on geological strata, establishing the vital link between paleontology and stratigraphic geology that has proved so fruitful for both disciplines. Many contemporary geologists opposed his stratigraphic ideas, but despite this controversy he was appointed professor of paleontology at the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris in 1853. As a pre-evolutionist d'Orbigny believed in the theory of the successive destruction and creation of animals in the earth's history, corresponding to Curvier's theory of catastrophy. Darwin's theory of evolution eventually put an end to all such ideas about new creations, including d'Orbigny's, but important elements of d'Orbigny's theories remain valid. He also introduced a great number of new species and many of his names for species and geological eras continue in use. d'Orbigny may thus be considered one of the founders of modern biostratigraphy.The present work is especially rare complete with the volume of tables.