Wilhelm von Nathusius

Wilhelm Engelhard Nathusius (from 1861 Wilhelm von Nathusius-Königsborn) (27 June 1821, Hundisburg – 25 December 1899, Halle ) was a wealthy Prussian land-owning agriculturist, industrialist, animal breeder, and agronomist who also contributed to studies in zoology, particularly on the eggs of birds.

Wilhelm was the sixth of eight children of the industrialist Johann Gottlob Nathusius and Luise née Engelhard (1787–1875).

Nathusius was born in the Hundisburg castle but grew up in the neighboring estate of Althaldensleben where he received private tuition from Julius Carl Elster (1803-1881).

Wilhelm married Marie Johanne von Meibom in Magdeburg on 6 June 1844.

His chemical analysis of eggshells, experiments with polarized light and speculations on the structure of eggs were pioneering and bold for his time.

He compared the shells of molluscs, crustaceans, and those of eggs but he refused to accept the idea of biological evolution and was an avowed "Anti-Darwinist".