LE CONTE, JOSEPH (1823-1901), American geologist, of Huguenot descent, was born in Liberty county (Ga.), on Feb. 26, 1823. He was educated at Franklin college (Ga.), where he graduated (1841) and received a degree in medicine at the New York college of Physicians and Surgeons in 1845. After practis ing for three or four years at Macon (Ga.), he entered Harvard, and studied natural history under L. Agassiz. At this time he developed a keen interest in geology. After graduating at Har vard, Le Conte in 1851 accompanied Agassiz on an expedition to study the Florida reefs. On his return he became professor of natural science in Oglethorpe university (Ga.) ; and from 1852 to 1856 was professor of natural history and geology in Franklin college. From 1857 to 1869 he was professor of chemistry and geology in South Carolina college, and he was then appointed professor of geology and natural history at the University of California, a post which he held until his death. He published
papers on monocular and binocular vision, and also on psychology. His chief contributions, however, related to geology, and in all he wrote he was lucid and philosophical. He described the fissure eruptions in western America, discoursed on earth-crust move ments and their causes and on the great features of the earth's surface. As separate works he published Elements of Geology (1878, 5th ed., 1889) ; Religion and Science ; and Evolu tion: its History, its Evidences, and its Relation to Religious Thought (1888). He died in the Yosemite Valley (Calif.), on June 6, 1901.
See Obituary by J. J. Stevenson, Annals of New York Acad. of Sciences, vol. xiv. (1902), p. 15o.