Jacques Berlioz (9 December 1891, Paris – 21 December 1975) was a Frenchzoologist andornithologist, specializing inhummingbirds. He was a grand-nephew of composerHector Berlioz (1803–1869).
Berlioz was born inParis, where the family home stood behindSainte-Trinité and took an interest in natural history from his early childhood. The family included many artists and scientists and his grand uncle was the famous composer Hector Berlioz. He studied medicine and pharmaceutical chemistry in which he received a doctorate in 1917. He then worked at theMuséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris as an assistant in the department ofentomology, moving to the department of mammals and birds in 1920. He became an assistant curator after some years and a chief curator in 1949 with the title of professor. He continued to work here until his retirement in 1962.[1]
Berlioz travelled toMadagascar andVietnam on collection trips withJean Delacour between 1925 and 1932. Among his writings, were three chapters ontaxonomy, distribution andmigration inTraité de Zoologie (vol. 15, 19.50, pp. 845–1088) apart from papers on thehummingbirds. For many years he was an editor ofL'Oiseau et la Revue Française d'Ornithologie.[1][2]
Apart from natural history, he also took an interest inphotography, was a good artist and a talented musician. Berlioz was an officer of theLégion d'honneur, an honorary member of theAmerican Ornithologists' Union, theBritish Ornithologists' Union, theDeutsche Ornithologen-Gesellschaft, theZoological Society of London, and theSociété de France Ornitholoque.[1]
