Monsieur Diard in Diard’s Trogon Harpactes diardii … in French (1 Viewer)

As I understand it; Diard’s Trogon Harpactes diardii TEMMINCK 1832 (1838) commemorates; the French zoologist, explorer and collector Pierre Médard Diard (1795–1863).

This Trogon was described by Temminck as "Trogon diardii" in: Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées d'oiseaux, pour servir de suite et de complément aux planches enluminées de Buffon. Livrasion 91 (1832). Vol III (1838) (Plate 541 – 3 pages; no pagination). (Attached)

From what I can tell, without knowing any French, it seems like most of the long opening part, if not all (of the text/type description, following plate 541) is about Mr. (M. = Monsieur) Diard!?

"CE nom, déjà avantageusement connu dans les nnales des sciences naturelles par les découvertes importantes don’t la zoologie est redevable aux voyages de M. Diard dans lʼIndie, à Sumatra et en Cochin-chine, a été imposé à lʼune des belles espèces de Couroucous, don’t les découvertes rècentes viennent d dʼenrichir lʼornithologie. M. Diard qui accompagna feu sir Stanford Raffles à Sumatra, contribua beaucoup par ses travaux `la connaissance plus parfaite des riches acquisitions zoologiques faites dans cette île. Etant passé depuis au service du gouvernement des Pays-Bas dans lʼInde, M. Diard a été chargé dʼune mission mercantile et rurale à Pontianak, lʼune de nos factoreries sur la côte orientale de Bornéo. Ce naturaliste plein de zèle a rempli cette tâche avec une supériorité de vues qui légitiment pleinement la confiance dont le gouvernement lʼhonore. Aussi actif que doué de moyens dans les différentes branches dʼéconomie rurale, et non moins empressé à explorer dans ses voyages tout ce qui peut servir à étendre nos connaissances en zoologie, M. Diard ne cesse de se vouer, dans ses courses lointaines, aux découvertes qui restent encore à faire dans ces contrées tropicales. Ce naturaliste, auquel le gouvernement des Pays-Bas vient de confier la mission scientifique dont notre défunt ami Boié était chargé dans nos possessions coloniales de lʼlnde, répond, par son activité et ses connaissances, aux espérances que la science peut encore se promettre de lui dans la longue carrière dʼavenir qui sʼouvre devant ses pas. Puisse-t-il être plus heureux que ses devanciers Kuhl, Van-Hasselt et Boié, que la mort nous enleva à la fleur de l'âge!"

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Anyone feel like translating it? If so, please as accurate as possible, as I would like to quote them myself in Swedish. And don´t hesitate to remark on any errors that I might have done trying to transcribe it.

And finally: Does the rest of those three pages tell us anything more of this Monsieur Diard?

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PS. The same Diard is also (according to various sources) remembered in Siamese Fireback Lophura diardi BONAPARTE 1856 (a k a "Diard's Fireback") and Black-bellied Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus) Rhopodytes diardi LESSON 1830 (in French Malcoha de Diard). As well as in various spiders, snakes, beetles and other taxa.

PPS. Anyone eager to know even more about Diard, see: Peyssonnaux, J. H. 1935. Vie, voyages et travaux de Pierre Medard Diard: Naturaliste Francais aux Indes-Orientales (1794-1863), voyage dans l'Indochine (1821-1824). On link: http://books.google.se/books?id=sfAjHAAACAAJ&dq=Pierre+M%C3%A9dard+Diard&hl=sv&sa=X&ei=b0NVUtTbNejL4AT9poDIDQ&redir_esc=y

Calalp said:

From what I can tell, without knowing any French, it seems like most of the long opening part, if not all (of the text/type description, following plate 541) is about Mr. (M. = Monsieur) Diard!?

Anyone feel like translating it?

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The French is (expectedly) oldish and somewhat cumbersome - I hope my English remains uderstandable .
I've also re-written the original with a few typos removed.

"Ce nom, déjà avantageusement connu dans les annales des sciences naturelles par les découvertes importantes dont la zoologie est redevable aux voyages de M. Diard dans l'Inde, à Sumatra et en Cochinchine, a été imposé à l'une des belles espèces de Couroucous, dont les découvertes récentes viennent d'enrichir l'ornithologie. M. Diard qui accompagna feu sir Stanford Raffles à Sumatra, contribua beaucoup par ses travaux à la connaissance plus parfaite des riches acquisitions zoologiques faites dans cette île. Etant passé depuis au service du gouvernement des Pays-Bas dans l'Inde, M. Diard a été chargé d'une mission mercantile et rurale à Pontianak, l'une de nos factoreries sur la côte orientale de Bornéo. Ce naturaliste plein de zèle a rempli cette tâche avec une supériorité de vues qui légitiment pleinement la confiance dont le gouvernement l'honore. Aussi actif que doué de moyens dans les différentes branches d'économie rurale, et non moins empressé à explorer dans ses voyages tout ce qui peut servir à étendre nos connaissances en zoologie, M. Diard ne cesse de se vouer, dans ses courses lointaines, aux découvertes qui restent encore à faire dans ces contrées tropicales. Ce naturaliste, auquel le gouvernement des Pays-Bas vient de confier la mission scientifique dont notre défunt ami Boié était chargé dans nos possessions coloniales de l'lnde, répond, par son activité et ses connaissances, aux espérances que la science peut encore se promettre de lui dans la longue carrière d'avenir qui s'ouvre devant ses pas. Puisse-t-il être plus heureux que ses devanciers Kuhl, Van-Hasselt et Boié, que la mort nous enleva à la fleur de l'âge!"

"This name, already favorably known in the annals of natural sciences by the important discoveries that zoology is indebted for to Mr Diard's travels in India, Sumatra and Cochinchina, was imposed on one of the beautiful species of Couroucous, whose recent discoveries have just enriched ornithology. Mr Diard, who accompanied the late Sir Stanford Raffles in Sumatra, contributed much by his works to the better knowledge of the rich zoological acquisitions made on this island. Having passed since to the service of the government of the Netherlands in India, Mr. Diard was charged with a mercantile and rural mission in Pontianak, one of our factories on the east coast of Borneo. This zealful naturalist completed this task with a superiority of views that fully justifies the trust that the government honors him with. As active as gifted with resources in the various branches of rural economy, and no less eager to explore in his travels anything that could help broaden our knowledge in zoology, Mr Diard keeps dedicating himself, in his far-away journeys, to the discoveries that are still to be done in these tropical countries. This naturalist, that the government of the Netherlands has entrusted with the scientific mission that was the burden of our late friend Boié in our colonial possessions in India, meets, by his acts and knowledge, the expectations that science can still promise from him in the long future career that opens before his feet. May he be luckier than his predecessors Kuhl, Van-Hasselt and Boié, that death took from us in the prime of their age!"

l_raty said:

The French is (expectedly) oldish and somewhat cumbersome - I hope my English remains uderstandable .
I've also re-written the original with a few typos removed.


"This name, already favorably known in the annals of natural sciences by the important discoveries that zoology is indebted for to Mr Diard's travels in India, Sumatra and Cochinchina, was imposed on one of the beautiful species of Couroucous, whose recent discoveries have just enriched ornithology. Mr Diard, who accompanied the late Sir Stanford Raffles in Sumatra, contributed much by his works to the better knowledge of the rich zoological acquisitions made on this island. Having passed since to the service of the government of the Netherlands in India, Mr. Diard was charged with a mercantile and rural mission in Pontianak, one of our factories on the east coast of Borneo. This zealful naturalist completed this task with a superiority of views that fully justifies the trust that the government honors him with. As active as gifted with resources in the various branches of rural economy, and no less eager to explore in his travels anything that could help broaden our knowledge in zoology, Mr Diard keeps dedicating himself, in his far-away journeys, to the discoveries that are still to be done in these tropical countries. This naturalist, that the government of the Netherlands has untrusted with the scientific mission that was the burden of our late friend Boié in our colonial possessions in India, meets, by his acts and knowledge, the expectations that science can still promise from him in the long future career that opens before his feet. May he be luckier than his predecessors Kuhl, Van-Hasselt and Boié, that death took from us in the prime of their age!"

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Nice work!:t: One minor suggestion; 'entrusted', not 'untrusted' - it reverses the meaning...!:eek!:
MJB

MJB said:

Nice work!:t: One minor suggestion; 'entrusted', not 'untrusted' - it reverses the meaning...!:eek!:
MJB

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Whoops!
Corrected, thanks.

Great job guys!

Laurent,
Your linguistic skills (French, Latin, Portuguese, Italian and German!) is impressive and, on top of that; your willingness to help! What a nice combination! My Etymological Project would limp much, much slower if it wasn´t for people like you.

I will double-check and change my transcription regarding the typos you mentioned. And; I sure think your "English remains uderstandable" ... in any case, far better than mine!

Once again: THANKS!

And that also goes to "MJB" ... well spotted!

I now think I have material enough to close my entry on this man.

Monsieur Diard ... over and out!

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PS. If not; I´ll be back!

Extra note: Temminck 'employed" Diard as the MNHN in Paris. Diard left employed by the MNHN in 1818 with Duvaucel (son-in-law from Cuvier) to Sumatra, but where dismissed by Raffles in 1819 as they worked in the British part of Sumatra. Raffles dismissed them as he though all material collected by them was British, and should be sent to London, instead the two sent it directly to Paris. In 1819 Diard was arrested in the then Dutch part of Sumatra, and due to Reinwardt he was released. Diard continued collecting at Java, Material from Java where sent then to Paris, much to the dislike of Temminck. After some time in Cochin-China, Diard arrived back at Java in 1824, he then proceeded to Borneo still collecting for the MNHN.

From 1826 onwards Diard collected for Temminck (up to 1828)(most from West-Borneo (Pontianak)). He became even curator later in the Natural History Museum in Dutch territory in 1836-1844 (Buitenzorg).

Great!

Justin,
Your extra note is much appreciated!

Very substantial!

Makes it even easier to write something noteworthy and to close my entry on this man.

Cheers!

JustinJansen said:

Extra note: Temminck 'employed" Diard as the MNHN in Paris. Diard left employed by the MNHN in 1818 with Duvaucel (son-in-law from Cuvier) to Sumatra, but where dismissed by Raffles in 1819 as they worked in the British part of Sumatra. Raffles dismissed them as he though all material collected by them was British, and should be sent to London, instead the two sent it directly to Paris. In 1819 Diard was arrested in the then Dutch part of Sumatra, and due to Reinwardt he was released. Diard continued collecting at Java, Material from Java where sent then to Paris, much to the dislike of Temminck. After some time in Cochin-China, Diard arrived back at Java in 1824, he then proceeded to Borneo still collecting for the MNHN.

From 1826 onwards Diard collected for Temminck (up to 1828)(most from West-Borneo (Pontianak)). He became even curator later in the Natural History Museum in Dutch territory in 1836-1844 (Buitenzorg).

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Justin,
How does this add up with what is stated in the biographical notes of A. Brébion 1914: Diard, Naturalist Français dans L'Extrême-Orient. (attached as pdf)?

Whith my lack of French I have a hard time understanding when he went where?

In what source did you find your facts?

My French is also not that good to transcribe what is stated there.

No Worries ...

Justin, I sure didn´t expect you to. I, of all persons, know what lack of French means. My main concern was the end question:

Calalp said:

In what source did you find your facts?

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Also compare with Wiki (that in this specific case look fairly reliable): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-M%C3%A9dard_Diard

I might have to be a bit vague in my entry on this man, exact places, where's and when's, isn´t necessary (except fort birth- and death-years/dates. it´s a question of how to write it, what to tell, or not, as long as the facts stated are trustworthy). None of all those Etymological entrys of mine was never ment to be (or will ever claim to be) a full explanation (like full biographies, covering the lot), but just brief, true presentations ... in any case; I don´t think there´s any question whatsoever that we´re talking about the right person!

Cheers!

PS. And I sure hope no-one else starts to translate the whole, long Brébion text!? That´s just to much work! Anyway far to much for my needs. Though a brief, short comparison with the Wiki article would be useful ... that I have to admit. Anyone feel like glancing through them!?

Justin wrote "After some time in Cochin-China". That's where Brébion's text is all about.

Wikipedia also is rather vage about these years: "By spring 1824, he was assumed to sojourn in Cochinchina". And then continue with 1826.

So all of this is in line with Brébion's text.

Theo

According to footnote (1) on p.204, he left Duvaucel in Apr 1820 at Bencoulen (= Benkulu, Sumatra)--Duvaucel went back to Bengal (and finally died in Madras in 1824); Diard sailed to Java.

In 1821, in Batavia (= Jakarta), he met Jean-Baptiste Chaigneau, a French Consul who was sailing from Bordeaux to Annam on the ship "La Rose", and he decided to go with him. He disembarked at Tourane (= Da Nang), but remained more or less stuck there for several months: the old king, that had been helped by the French in the past and was therefore quite open to them, had died; the young king was extremely suspicious, so Diard was not left free of his movements. In Aug 1822 he finally started to travel; from 1822 to 1824, he visited Annam, lower Cochinchina, southern Tonkin and Cambodia. He left Annam in May 1824. (Apparently he had been appointed by the Cochinchinese court to accompany a Mission to the Burman court?)

Thanks Guys!

Laurent, Theo & Justin,
Now I sure have more facts than I need; from his birth on the 19th of March 1794 in Château de La Brosse, in Chenusson, Indre-et-Loire (department in West-central France) ... to his death in Batavia (Jakarta, Indonesia) the 16th of February 1863.

And I understand most of it!

Once again: thanks! Without your help this wouldn´t be the case.

Monsieur Diard = Concluded!

OK his birth record (cote 6NUM8/224/002) here p. 3/9 Isn't he born 10 Germinal l'an II (not = 19th of March 1794)? So I would not agree to all the Wikipedia pages as well telling us Saint-Laurent-en-Gâtines as birth place.


Even if already mentioned in #1 here the ODs:

• Alophoixus phaeocephalus diardi (Finsch, 1867) OD here
• Garrulax leucolophus diardi (Lesson, 1831) OD here
• Lophura diardi (Bonaparte, 1856) OD here
• Phasianus Diardi Temminck 1830 OD here Can't follow Temminck about Vieillot here (or is there an earlier edition of La galerie des oiseaux?)
• Phaenicophaeus diardi (Lesson, 1830) OD here
• Diardigallus Bonaparte, 1856 OD here

As well I ask myself why in the key

...collector in the Dutch East Indies 1819-?1863...

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is in question markes if he died there? But maybe several voyages? specially if I read...

P. S. The Eponym Dictionary of Birds wrong on birth year.

Pheasant genus Diardigallus Bonaparte, 1856 NCR [Now in Lophura]
Black-bellied Malkoha Phaenicophaeus diardi Lesson, 1830
Diard's Trogon Harpactes diardii Temminck, 1832
Diard's Fireback Lophura diardi Bonaparte, 1856 [Alt. Siamese Fireback]
Pierre Medard Diard (1795–1863) was a French naturalist and explorer who collected in the East Indies (1827–1848), often in collaboration with Alfred Duvaucel (q.v.). A mammal and a reptile are named after him.

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Taphrospilus said:

OK his birth record (cote 6NUM8/224/002) here p. 3/9 Isn't he born 10 Germinal l'an II (not = 19th of March 1794)?

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"[...] est acouché de hier neuvième jour de germinal [...]
Thus 9 germinal an II = 29 Mar 1794.

In Voyageurs, Explorateurs et Scientifiques: The French and Natural History in Singapore more on him with picture (but wrong birth date).