Warszawski Gabinet Zoologiczny w korespondencji Armanda Davida (1826–1900) – nieznane listy Władysława Taczanowskiego (1819–1890), Konstantego Branickiego (1824–1884) i Charlesa Oberthüra (1845–1924)

Armand David, a Lazarist missionary, was one of the most important French naturalists of the second half of the 19th century. He spent more than 10 years in China, Tibet and Mongolia. He made an extensive contribution to the development of knowledge of the fauna, flora and geology of Asia. He also discoved and introduced the Giant panda, the Chinese giant salamander, and Father David’s deer to natural history collections in Europe. Father David was the collaborator and friend of W. Taczanowski, K. Branicki and A. Waga – naturalists of the Zoological Cabinet of Warsaw. The author of the present article found, in the Lazarist Congregation archives of Paris, several letters in relation with the zoological collection of Warsaw. Foundings also include letters about different explorations of Polish scientists exiled in Siberia. B. Dybowski’s research on the fauna of Central and Eastern Siberia shall be understood as completing A. David’s research in China. A part of this correspondence is about Charles and René Oberthür’s study on insects from Siberia and Peru (collections gathered by J. Sztolcman and K. Jelski). It is also about Taczanowski’s edition of The Ornithology of Peru and The Birds of Eastern Siberia. Therefore, this correspondence brings new important information to the history of the Zoological Cabinet in Warsaw, but also to the history of faunistical research of Asia and South America.