Harry Seeley

Harry Govier Seeley ( born February 18, 1839 in London, † January 8, 1909 in Kensington ) was a British paleontologist. On it are still recognized today classification of dinosaur goes to the lizard Beck dinosaurs ( Saurischia ) and the bird Beck dinosaur ( Ornithischia ) back.

Life

Harry Govier Seeley was born on 18 February 1839 in London; his parents were the goldsmith Richard Hovill Seeley and his second wife Mary Govier. Harry attended the Royal School of Mines in Kensington. He was an assistant to Adam Sedgwick in 1859 Woodwardian Museum in Cambridge. In 1863 he enrolled as a student at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. He refused offers of the British Museum and the Geological Society of London in order to work independently can. Later, however, he accepted a position at King's College, Cambridge.

In 1872 he moved to London. At this university, King's College, Queen's College and Bedford College from 1876 he was professor of geography, also a lecturer in geology and physiology at Dulwich College. From 1896 to 1905 he was Professor of Geology and Mineralogy at King 's College.

In 1872 he married Eleanor Jane, daughter of William Mitchell of Bath. He was the father of Arthur Smith Woodward. Harry Govier Seeley died on January 8, 1909 in Kensington and was buried in Brookwood Cemetery in London.

Scientific work

Before Seeley's classification of dinosaurs in the lizards Beck dinosaurs ( Saurischia ) and the bird Beck dinosaur ( Ornithischia ) based on their pelvic anatomy divided the paleontologists that dinosaurs according to different characteristics, where they were aware of the construction of the feet or the tooth shape. Seeley published in 1888 his scientific results (based on a lecture of the previous year ), according to which, in simple terms, the ornithischians were characterized by a twin and the Saurischier by a dreistrahliges pool. Seeley looked at the two groups were very different and was of the opinion of a separate origin ( Polyphylie ). It was only in the 80s of the 20th century proved using kladistischer analyzes indicate that the two groups by a common Triassic ancestors were descended ( monophyly ). In his career Seeley described numerous dinosaurs.

In 1887 he was awarded the Royal Society 's invitation, the annual Croonian Lecture hold. It was entitled: On Pareiasaurus bombidens ( Owen ) and the Significance of its affinities to amphibians, reptiles, and mammals.

His book on pterosaurs, " Dragons of the Air" from 1901, concludes that pterosaurs and birds have many parallels. Although proved to be his idea of a common origin to be false, he rejected Richard Owens description of pterosaurs as cold-blooded, slow glides and realized that it had to have been traded to warm-blooded animals, such as the birds dominated the active flight ( flapping flight ).

As an amateur, he wrote a small but well-researched book on the European freshwater fish ( 1886).

Membership in scientific societies

Harry Govier Seeley was recorded in 1879 as a member ( "Fellow" ) to the Royal Society. He was also a member of the Linnean Society, the Geological Society of London and the Zoological Society of London.

Swell

• Seeley; Harry Govier in the archives of the Royal Society (English)