John David Digues La Touche facts for kids
John David Digues La Touche was an Irish scientist who studied birds, animals, and nature. He was born on June 5, 1861, in Tours, France, and passed away on May 6, 1935. For most of his working life, he served as a customs official in China, which gave him a unique chance to explore and study the natural world there.
Early Life and Career in China
John David Digues La Touche came from a family with French roots. He went to school at Downside School in Somerset, England. In 1882, he joined the Imperial Maritime Customs Service in China. This job meant he lived and worked in China for many years, until 1921.
His work as a customs official allowed him to travel widely across China. This gave him a special opportunity to observe and collect many different types of animals. After retiring from his work in China, he returned to Ireland, living first in Dublin and later in Newtownmountkennedy, County Wicklow.
Studying Nature in China
During his long stay in China, La Touche became very interested in birds. He spent a lot of time watching them and collecting specimens. These detailed observations led to many important books and articles about the birds of China.
His most famous work is A Handbook of the Birds of Eastern China. This huge book was published in two volumes between 1925 and 1934. It helped scientists around the world learn more about the amazing bird species found in that part of Asia. Besides birds, he also collected and studied other animals, like reptiles and amphibians.
Animals Named After Him
Because of his important contributions to science, several animals have been named in honor of John David Digues La Touche. These names help remember his work and discoveries.
Some of the animals named after him include:
- The La Touche's free-tailed bat
- The La Touche's mole
- La Touche's frog
- A type of Chinese snake called Opisthotropis latouchii
Even a group of flowering plants from China, called Latouchea, was named to honor both him and his wife, Caroline Dawson Focken. This shows how much his work was valued by other scientists.
Works
- Further Notes on the Birds of the Province of Fohkien in South-east China (1917)
