BLAINVILLE, HENRI MARIE DUCROTAY DE (i777-185o), French naturalist, was born at Arques, near Dieppe. In 1812 he was aided by Cuvier to obtain the chair of anatomy and zoology in the Faculty of Sciences at Paris, but subsequently an estrangement grew up between the two men and ended in open enmity. In 1825 Blainville was admitted a member of the Academy of Sciences; and in 183o he was appointed to succeed J. B. La marck in the chair of natural history at the museum. Two years later, on the death of Cuvier, he obtained the chair of compara tive anatomy, which he held for 18 years.
He wrote Prodrome d'une nouvelle distribution methodique du regne animal (1816) ; Osteographie ou description iconographique comparee du squelette, etc. (1839-64) • Faune francaise (1821-30) ; Manuel de malacologie et de conchylidlogie (1825-27) ; Histoire des sciences de l'organisme (1845)•