davidianus,-a,-um
from David; named after Armand David (1826-1900), missionary, who was sent to China in 1862, in order to work as teacher at a missionary-school at Peking. Directly after his arrival he started to explore the surroundings of Peking: the stretches appeared to be completely cultured, but the neighbouring mountains yielded very rich botanical and zoological harvests. He studied the geology, mineralogy, botany and zoology of the country and sent big collections out of the field of each of these sciences to Paris. He succeeded in transporting some specimens of the in the wild extinguished deer-species (Elaphurus davidianus E.Milne-Edw.), which were kept in the imperial park near Jehol (N.O. of Peking), lively to France. David’s collections were considered to be of such great importance to science, that he was given the opportunity to devote himself entirely to natural historical explorations. Thereupon he made three big journeys, all by foot, on which he zealously collected and recorded noteworthy things on every field day by day. He first journey (1866) during 9 and a half mount, went through south Mongolia, which was completely unknown to Europeans and almost unknown to literati Chinese before. His second journey (1868-70), by which he traveled over a distance of 20.000 km, went through Central Asia to Sze-Tsjoean. On this journey, on which he became gravely ill three-times, he stayed for roundabout 9 mounts at Mu-pin, where he gathered very rich and important collections. After his return to Peking he returned for Europe in the end of 1870 to recover his health. In 1872 he was back again in China and undertook his third 3.200 km long journey now through the provinces Schansi, Schensi, Hoepé, Kiangsi and Tsjekiang. Now again he became gravely ill on the way. When he reach Sjanghai in 1874 he returned to Europe, and now for ever. At Peking he had founded a museum, which preserved 800 birds, various nice mammals, roundabout 3000 of insects, a rich herbal and numerous geological specimens. In 1885 the museum was made over to the Chinese with the consequence that the nice collections were lost soon. At the whole he collected roundabout 3500 species of plants, of which a considerable part got lost by all kinds of accidents; roundabout 2000 species are preserved; including 60 new gentianaceads; more than 50 new Rhodondendron’s and more than 40 new Primula species. Also his zoological and other collections are very important. He is the discoverer of a big number of new animal species. He wrote a big number of scientific publications which were printed in Paris out of his control, and into which crept many inaccuracies, of which he annoyed himself very much (and rightly). The Chinese considered him to be a spy, as a foul, as a kind of slave, as a loafer at best, who knew nothing better to do than running behind animals, tearing plants out of the ground and smashing stones to pieces. For his colleges missionaries he was the subject of compassionate mock; the scientific world however honours his memory as the most excellent natural explorer who lived in China.