“He is a man full of interest - not ‘shelved,’ nor cynical, nor disappointed with life, but a trifle melancholy and above all full of sifted wisdom.” This is my recorded appraisal upon returning home from my last visit with Dr. Davidson just two months before his death on April 3rd, 1932. “He sat in his easy rocker - the old cherry-wood sort, with stationary base-and between draughts on his made-as-needed cigarettes, foiled rather carelessly and twisted in the manner of taffy wrappers, he told of other days and California botany. His terse phrases concerning Hasse, Greata, Parish and others were flavored with personal understanding and accented with measured strokes of his goatee. His face is slender and sharp-featured, but set with eyes full of brightness.”

Anstruther Davidson was born at Watten, Scotland, on February 19, 1860, being the son of George and Ann (Macadam) Davidson. He graduated in medicine from the University of Glasgow with the degrees of M(edicinae) B(accalaureus) and C(hirurgiae) M(agister) at the age of twenty-one. Six years later he obtained his M.D. (1887). He emigrated to America two years later and in the same year began the practice of medicine in Los Angeles which was carried on practically continuously until his death. A dermatologist in the medical field, he was at one time assistant professor of that subject at the University of Southern California. He was a fellow of the American Medical Association. His skill in his chosen field was the basis of the regular visits made to the Good Samaritan hospital of Los Angeles, when no longer in active practice, a consulting dermatologist, a schedule continued up to his last brief illness. During the preceding January Dr. Davidson was struck by an automobile and thrown forward to the pavement, suffering internal injuries, doubtless of a more serious nature than early realized, which were the almost certain cause of his death some three months later at the age of seventy-two.

In the fields of systematic botany and entomology Anstruther Davidson will certainly be permanently remembered for the early studies he carried out in these subjects in Southern California. His entomological papers cannot be considered here but reference to the author index of Essig’s Insects of western North America will attest to his contributions in that field. He was a corresponding member of the Entomological Society of Philadelphia.

Davidson’s botanical activities were carried out principally through the Southern California Academy of Sciences and through the medium of its Bulletin. He served as the second president of the society, from 1892 to 1894, being re-elected for a second term. He was among the founders of the society and served as treasurer, as a member of the board of directors and of the publication board. In short he was an active associate for forty-one years.