DELAMANON,ROBERT,PAUL - AN UNLUCKY NATURALIST

R. P. de Lamanon was trained in theology and philosophy, but he chose the career of a self-taught geologist/naturalist, later adding experim ental physics to his skills. Recommended by Condorcet, Secretary to th e Academie Royale des Sciences, for the post of 'Naturaliste' on La Pe rouse's expedition, he carried out delicate measurements at sea reques ted by the Academie and made two important discoveries: the barometric tide at the equator, and the variation of magnetic intensity with lat itude. Killed by natives of Samoa in 1787, his reports were long delay ed in publication, inadequately presented, and some even lost. Except for brief recognition by von Humboldt many years later, Lamanon's pion eering measurements have been largely ignored or forgotten. This paper revives his memory.