228 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [May, '14 



American Microlepidoptera. We know that he died in Jan- 

 uary, 1867, but the Zoological Record and the American en- 

 tomological and zoological journals of that and the immediate- 

 ly following years have, so far, not furnished any references 

 to the existence of anything more than a very brief biographi- 

 cal sketch. In searching for such a reference, we came across 

 a short account of the Nicaraguan expedition of McNiel, of 

 which we were ignorant in 1908 when we most needed it. 



These concrete examples show the desirability of a biblio- 

 graphical dictionary of entomologists, not merely as a matter 

 of historical interest, but as an important guide to the com- 

 prehension of the work of our predecessors. By entomologists 

 we mean not only those who have published on insects but 

 also all who have collected or formed collections, including 

 under the latter head public museums. 



Such a dictionary as we suggest should contain as far as 

 possible, the following information under each entry : 



1. The dates and places of birth and death. 



2. The periods and places of activity as collector, writer, 

 etc. 



3. The sources of the material which the subject, if a writer, 

 employed. 



4. The subsequent fate of the subject's personal collections. 



5. Especially and superlatively important, references to any 

 published biographical notices, bibliographies and critical esti- 

 mates of the subject, if a person. If a Museum, references 

 to historical accounts of the institution, published lists of col- 

 lections and types contained, etc. 



On account of the interrelations of entomologists and dif- 

 ferent parts of the world, the scope of the dictionary should 

 be world-wide. 



We have not in contemplation the preparation of such a 

 dictionary. The chief object of this paper is to call the atten- 

 tion of some one who is bibliographically inclined, and who 

 has leisure on his hands, to a field which lies ready to be tilled. 

 Such a philanthropic author must expect difficulty in finding a 

 publisher for his book when the manuscript has been com- 



