Francis Buchanan-Hamilton

Francis Buchanan - Hamilton ( * February 15 1762 in Callander, Perthshire, Scotland, † June 15, 1829 ibid ), also known as Francis Hamilton - Buchanan and Francis Hamilton, was an important explorer and discoverer of South Asian species of fish. His main work has zoological under the symbol " Hamilton's Fishes " until today of great importance for the taxonomy and systematic ichthyology.

Origin and life

Francis Buchanan, was born as the third son of Mr and Mrs Thomas Buchanan of Spittal and Elizabeth Hamilton, heiress of Bardowie, in the municipality of Callander, Perthshire, Scotland. In 1783 he passed the medical exam in Edinburgh and began his career in the service of the British crown as ship's surgeon of the Navy. Health reasons soon led to his departure. From 1794, he served the East India Company in its establishment as a colonial Bengali doctor. Shortly after his arrival, he was transferred to the Court of Ava, where he first worked intensively his naturalistic tendencies dedicated: He collected, registered and described almost the entire flora of this county, including that of the Andaman Islands.

After the end of his mission Ava Francis Buchanan broke her return to Lakkipur, near the mouth of the Brahmaputra. There was until today significant description of fish from the Ganges and its tributaries, which was not published until 1822 in London and Edinburgh. This work contains numerous scientific first descriptions.

Later, now the Governor-General of India under the direct, Buchanan wrote his greatest and most important work: To travel through and report upon the countries of Mysore, Canara, and Malabar, Investigating the state of agriculture, arts, and commerce; the religion, manners and customs; the history, natural and civil, and antiquities in the dominions of the Raja of Mysore, and the countries aquiesed by the honorable the East India Company in the late and former wars from Tippoo Sultan.

1806 Buchanan came back for a short time to the UK, traveled previously but also Nepal, where he again could create extensive botanical collections. Then again active in the Indian colonies, he worked primarily in the administration of the East India Company. 1814 appointed him the colonial government to the director of the Botanical Garden of Calcutta. But a year later, he returned permanently to Scotland.

After his elder brother's death, the maternal inheritance fell to him. This he also became the head of the Hamilton clan and led henceforth the additional name Hamilton. Francis Hamilton (formerly Buchanan ) died at the age of 67 years on " Branziet ", his birthplace.